Etymology

ward

W4A1R1D2

Today it means: A warden; a guard; a guardian or watchman. Full definition →

Middle English warde ← Old English weard ← Proto-Germanic *warduz
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ward · noun1

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*wer-“to heed, defend”
  2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*warduz“guard, keeper”
  3. Old English · inherited fromweard“keeper, watchman, guard, guardian, protector; lord, king; possessor”
  4. Middle English · inherited fromwarde
  5. English todayward

From Middle English warde, from Old English weard (“keeper, watchman, guard, guardian, protector; lord, king; possessor”), from Proto-Germanic *warduz (“guard, keeper”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to heed, defend”). Cognate with Dutch waard, German Wart.

ward · noun2

  1. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*wer-“to cover”
  2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*wardō“protection, attention, keeping”
  3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*wardu
  4. Old English · inherited fromweard“watching, ward, protection, guardianship; advance post; waiting for, lurking, ambuscade”
  5. Middle English · inherited fromward
  6. English todayward

From Middle English ward, warde, from Old English weard (“watching, ward, protection, guardianship; advance post; waiting for, lurking, ambuscade”), from Proto-West Germanic *wardu, from Proto-Germanic *wardō (“protection, attention, keeping”), an extension of the stem *wara- (“attentive”) (English wary, beware), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover”). Cognate with German Warte (“watchtower”), warten (“wait for”); English guard is a parallel form which came via Old French.

ward · verb3

  1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*wer-“to heed, defend”
  2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*wardōną
  3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*wardēn
  4. Old English · inherited fromweardian“to watch, guard, keep, protect, preserve; hold, possess, occupy, inhabit; rule, govern”
  5. Middle English · inherited fromwarden
  6. English todayward

From Middle English warden, from Old English weardian (“to watch, guard, keep, protect, preserve; hold, possess, occupy, inhabit; rule, govern”), from Proto-West Germanic *wardēn, from Proto-Germanic *wardōną, *wardāną (“to guard”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to heed, defend”). Doublet of guard.

Ward · proper noun4

* As an English surname, from the noun ward and related cognates such as warden, guard etc. * As an Irish surname, reduced from McWard, from mac an bard (“son of the poet”). * As a Jewish surname, adapted from Warshawski, named after Warsaw. Comparable to Warszawski. * As a French surname, Americanized from Guerin.

Ward · proper noun5

A shortened form.

Words from the same roots

Old Englishweard all →

WhartonwarderWardlawWartonWardlowWarborough

Proto-Germanic*warduz all →

Granville

Proto-Indo-European*wer- all →

weargaragerewardwarewarnweirguarantyreverencegarnishprosaic-erforwarn-oramavarenykywarguswarry

Proto-Germanic*wardōną all →

reward

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.