answer

answer · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts
3. Proto-Germanic*anda-
4. Proto-Indo-European*swer-
5. Proto-Germanic*swarō
6. Proto-Germanic*andaswarō
7. Proto-West Germanic*andaswaru
8. Old Englishandswaru
9. Middle Englishanswere
10. English todayanswer

From Middle English answere, andsware, from Old English andswaru (“answer”), from and- (“against”) + swaru (“affirmation”), (from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“front, forehead”) and Old English swerian (“to swear”), from Proto-Indo-European *swer-), suggesting an original meaning of "a sworn statement rebutting a charge". The cognates suggest the existence of Proto-Germanic *andaswarō (“a reply to a question”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondser (“answer”), Old Saxon andswōr (“answer”), Danish and Swedish ansvar (“liability, responsibility, answer”), Icelandic andsvar (“answer, response”). Compare also Old English andwyrde (“answer”) (cognate to Dutch antwoord, German Antwort), Old English andcwiss (“reply”), German Schwur (“oath, vow”).

answer · verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts
3. Proto-Germanic*anda-
4. Proto-Indo-European*swer-
5. Proto-Germanic*swarjaną
6. Proto-Germanic*andaswarjaną
7. Old Englishandswerian
8. Middle Englishansweren
9. English todayanswer

From Middle English answeren, andswaren, answerien, from Old English andswarian, answarien (“to answer, to respond, to deny an allegation under oath”), from Proto-Germanic *andaswarōną, *andaswarjaną (“to answer, to give a response, to rebut”), from *anda- (“against”) + *swarjaną, *swarōną (“to swear an oath, to answer, to respond”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- (“face, forehead”) and *swer- (“to swear”). Cognate with Old Frisian ondswera (“to answer”), Danish ansvare (“to answer, account for”), Swedish ansvara (“to answer, account for”), Icelandic andsvara (“to answer, reply”).

Words from the same roots