eau

eau · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*h₂ekʷeh₂“water, flowing water”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*ahwō“waters, river”
3. Old English · inherited fromēa“running water, water, stream, river”
4. Middle English · inherited fromea
5. English todayeau

From Middle English ea, eo, from Old English ēa (“running water, water, stream, river”), from Proto-Germanic *ahwō (“waters, river”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂ (“water, flowing water”). Compare English aqua. Compare ea, yeo. Related to, and spelling influenced by, but not derived from French eau (“water”).

eau · noun²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂ekʷeh₂“water, flowing water”
2. Latin · derived fromaqua“water”
3. Old French · derived fromewe
4. Middle French · derived fromeau, eaue
5. French · borrowed fromeau
6. English todayeau

From French eau, from Middle French eau, eaue, from Old French ewe, euwe, egua (“water”), from Latin aqua (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂ (“water, flowing water”). Doublet of aqua.

Eau · proper noun³

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*h₂ekʷeh₂“water, flowing water”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*ahwō“waters, river”
3. Old English · inherited fromēa“running water, water, stream, river”
4. English todayEau

From Old English ēa (“running water, water, stream, river”), from Proto-Germanic *ahwō (“waters, river”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂ (“water, flowing water”). Cognate with North Frisian ia (“river”), Saterland Frisian Äi (“river”), West Frisian ie (“water, stream”), Dutch aa (“water, stream”), German Ache (“water, stream, river, flood”), Swedish å (“stream, creek”), Icelandic á (“stream, river”), Latin aqua (“water”). Doublet of aqua and yeo. Related to, but not derived from, French eau ("water").

Words from the same roots