theow

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*tekʷ-“to run; to flow”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*tekwos“runner”
3. Proto-Germanic · derived from*þewaz, *þegwaz“servant; slave”
4. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*þeu“slave”
5. Old English · inherited fromþēow, þēo“servant; slave”
6. English todaytheow

Revived from Old English þēow, þēo (“servant; slave”) [and other forms], from Proto-West Germanic *þeu (“slave”), from Proto-Germanic *þewaz, *þegwaz (“servant; slave”), from Proto-Indo-European *tekwos (“runner”), from Proto-Indo-European *tekʷ- (“to run; to flow”). Cognates * Dutch dienen (“to serve”) * German dienen (“to serve”) * Gothic 𐌸𐌹𐌿𐍃 (þius, “bondsman, slave; servant”) * Old English þegn (“servant; minister; vassal”) * Old High German dio (“unfree”), diu (“servant”)

Words from the same roots