greet etymology

Etymology:

  • Old English: grétan
  • Proto-Germanic: grētōn
  • Indo-European root: gʰer-, meaning "to call, to speak"

Meaning:

  • To address someone politely
  • To welcome someone
  • To express one's regard or respect

Origin:

The word "greet" originates from the Old English verb grétan, which was used to mean "to call out to someone" or "to speak to someone." This verb, in turn, is derived from the Proto-Germanic root grētōn, which also meant "to call out."

The Indo-European root gʰer-, from which *grētōn is descended, had a broader meaning of "to call, to speak." This root appears in numerous words across Indo-European languages, such as:

  • Sanskrit: hrātu ("call out")
  • Latin: horior ("urge")
  • Greek: γίγνομαι (gignomai "to happen")
  • Old High German: riaten ("to shout, to cry")

Over time, grētōn evolved into the Middle English verb greten, which by the early 14th century had acquired the more specific meaning of "to greet." This sense of "greet" was then retained in Modern English.

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