sear

sear · adjective¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*sh₂ews-“dry, parched”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*sauzaz“dry”
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*sauʀ(ī)
4. Old English · inherited fromsēar
5. Middle English · inherited fromsere
6. English todaysear

From Middle English sere, seer, seere, from Old English sēar, sīere (“dry, sere, sear, withered, barren”), from Proto-West Germanic *sauʀ(ī), from Proto-Germanic *sauzaz (“dry”), from Proto-Indo-European *sh₂ews- (“dry, parched”) (also reconstructed as *h₂sews-). Cognate with Dutch zoor (“dry, rough”), Low German soor (“dry”), German sohr (“parched, dried up”), dialectal Norwegian søyr (“the desiccation and death of a tree”), Lithuanian saũsas (“dry”), Ukrainian сухий (suxyj, “dry”), Polish suchy (“dry”), Homeric Ancient Greek αὖος (aûos, “dry”). Doublet of sere and sare.

sear · verb, noun²

1. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*sauʀēn“to dry out, become dry”
2. Old English · inherited fromsēarian“to become sere, to grow sear, wither, pine away”
3. Middle English · inherited fromseren
4. English todaysear

From Middle English seren, seeren, from Old English sēarian (“to become sere, to grow sear, wither, pine away”), from Proto-West Germanic *sauʀēn (“to dry out, become dry”); compare also Proto-Germanic *sauzijaną (“to make dry”). Related to Old High German sōrēn (“to wither, wilt”). See Etymology 1 for more cognates. The use in firearms terminology may relate to French serrer (“to grip”).

sear · noun³

1. Old French · derived fromserre“claw, talon, grasp”
2. English todaysear

Possibly from Old French serre (“claw, talon, grasp”)

Sear · proper noun⁴

Variant of Sayer.

Words from the same roots