wound
/wuːnd/
noun
Origin
Proto-Germanic
*wundō — injury, wound
Overview
Meaning Now
- An injury to living tissue caused by a cut, blow, or other impact, typically one in which the skin is cut or broken.
- Emotional pain or distress resulting from a traumatic experience or criticism.
Literal older meaning
A cutting or piercing of the body.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Old English → English
Earliest form
wund
Earliest period
Old English
Journey
The word is of Germanic origin and cognate with many northern European languages. It has consistently denoted physical trauma since the earliest recorded instances in Old English literature.
Evolution
- Proto-Germanic
*wundō
“injury”
- Old English
wund
“wound, injury”
- Middle English
wounde
“injury, physical or emotional hurt”
Spelling stabilized around the 15th century.
Connections
Word parts
wound
root
injury
Related across languages
German
Wunde
wound
Dutch
wond
wound
Old Norse
und
wound
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.