glow

glow · verb, noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ǵʰleh₁-“to shine, glow; to be shining, glowing”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*glōaną“to glow”
3. Old Norse · derived from*glówa
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*glōan“to glow”
5. Old English · inherited fromglōwan“to glow”
6. Middle English · inherited fromglouen
7. English todayglow

The verb is derived from Middle English glouen, glowen (“to give off heat and light without flame; of a thing: to be heated until red hot; to be brightly coloured; to shine brightly; (figurative) to be filled with emotion; of the face, etc.: to turn red, flush; etc.”), and then either: * from Old English glōwan (“to glow”) (a strong verb), from Proto-West Germanic *glōan (“to glow”); or * because the Middle English and modern English words are weak verbs, possibly from Old Norse *glówa, thought to be a variant of glóa (“to glow”), also a weak verb; both from Proto-Germanic *glōaną (“to glow”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰleh₁- (“to shine, glow; to be shining, glowing”). Possibly a doublet of glass. The noun is derived from the verb. cognates * Dutch gloeien * Finnish loistaa * German glühen * Norwegian glo * Old Norse glóa (Danish glo, Icelandic glóa, Swedish glo) * Saterland Frisian gloie, glöie, gluuje * West Frisian gloeie

glow · verb²

1. Old Norse · derived fromglóa“to shine”
2. Middle English · inherited fromglouen“to gaze, stare”
3. English todayglow

From Late Middle English glouen (“to gaze, stare”); further etymology uncertain, possibly either: * from glouen, glowen (“to give off heat and light without flame; of a thing: to be heated until red hot; to be brightly coloured; to shine brightly; (figurative) to be filled with emotion; of the face, etc.: to turn red, flush; etc.”); or * from Old Norse glóa (“to shine”) (whence Norwegian Nynorsk glo (“to stare”) and Swedish glo (“to stare”)). See further at etymology 1.

Words from the same roots