wane etymology

Etymology

Middle English wanien, wanen "to decline, diminish," from Old English wanian, wanscian, in the sense of "to grow or make pale or wan," derived from Proto-Germanic wanōną ("to grow or make wan"), which in turn descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *h₂wes- (“to shine”). Cognates include Old Frisian *wania, Old High German wanōn ("to diminish, lessen"), and Old Norse vana ("to decrease, wane"), from which English "wane" is directly borrowed.

Meaning

• To gradually decrease in size, intensity, or amount.
• To decline in strength, vitality, or vigor.
• (of the moon) To decrease in brightness and size as it approaches a new moon phase.

Origin

The word "wane" is rooted in the Proto-Indo-European word "h₂wes-," which means "to shine." Over time, the meaning shifted to "to decline" or "to diminish," which is the sense of the word we use today.

wane relate terms

• wane

  Etymology Middle English wanien wanen to decline diminish from Old English wanian

• waning

  Etymology Middle English from Old English wānian diminish from wān deficient lac

• wane

  Etymology Middle English wanien wanen to decline diminish from Old English wanian

• want

  Etymology Want From Old English wantan meaning lacking deficient or destitut

• melt

  Etymology The word melt comes from the Old English word meltan which is related to t

• fall

  Etymology Middle English fallen Old English feallan Proto Germanic fallaną Meani

• diminish

  Etymology Old French demenische Medieval Latin deminuo Latin deminuere de remove

• decrease

  Etymology Middle English decressen from Old French decroistre from Late Latin decr

• prod

  Etymology Latin prodere meaning to betray to expose Old French proder prower me

• drop

  Etymology From Middle English droppe from Old English dropa ddropa drop small porti