white
/waɪt/
adjective
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*kweyt- — to shine, to be bright
Overview
Meaning Now
- Of the color of snow or milk; the opposite of black.
- Lacking color or pigmentation; pale or colorless.
- Politically or socially associated with light-skinned people or European descent.
Literal older meaning
shining, bright, or light
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
hwīt
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word stems from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'bright' or 'shining'. In Old English, it functioned as an adjective to describe light or purity, and over time, it became the standard term for the achromatic color reflecting all visible wavelengths of light.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*kweyt-
“bright, shining”
- Proto-Germanic
*hwītaz
“white”
- Old English
hwīt
“white, bright, clear”
- Middle English
whit
“white”
- Modern English
white
“white”
Connections
Word parts
white
root
bright
Related across languages
Old High German
hwīz
white
Old Norse
hvítr
white
Gothic
hweits
white
Explore next
Related to white
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.