douth

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*dʰewgʰ-“to be ready, be sufficient”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*dugunþō“power, competency, notefulness, virtue”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*dugunþu
4. Old English · inherited fromduguþ“manhood, host, multitude, troops”
5. Middle English · inherited fromdouthe
6. English todaydouth

From Middle English douthe, douth, duweðe (“body of retainers, people, might, dignity, worth”), from Old English duguþ (“manhood, host, multitude, troops”), from Proto-West Germanic *dugunþu, *dugunþi, from Proto-Germanic *dugunþō (“power, competency, notefulness, virtue”), from *duganą (“to be useful”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewgʰ- (“to be ready, be sufficient”). Cognate with North Frisian døgd, døged (“ability, good deed”), Dutch deugd (“virtue”), German Tugend (“virtue”), Swedish dygd (“virtue”), Danish dyd (“virtue”), Icelandic dygð, dyggð (“virtue”). Related to dow, doughty.