garnish

garnish · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*wer-“to defend, protect, cover”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*warnōną“to warn”
3. Proto-Germanic · derived from*warnijaną“to worry, care, heed”
4. Frankish · derived from*warnijan“to refuse, deny”
5. Old French · derived fromgarniss-
6. Middle English · inherited fromgarnysshen
7. English todaygarnish

From Middle English garnysshen, from Old French garniss-, stem of certain forms of the verb garnir, guarnir, warnir (“to provide, furnish, avert, defend, warn, fortify, garnish”), from a conflation of Old Frankish *warnijan (“to refuse, deny”) and *warnōn (“warn, protect, prepare, beware, guard oneself”), from Proto-Germanic *warnijaną (“to worry, care, heed”) and Proto-Germanic *warnōną (“to warn”); both from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to defend, protect, cover”). Cognate with Old English wiernan (“to withhold, be sparing of, deny, refuse, reject, decline, forbid, prevent from, avert”) and warnian (“to warn, caution, take warning, take heed, guard oneself against, deny”). More at warn.

Garnish · proper noun²

Etymology unknown.

Words from the same roots