ware

ware · noun¹

1. Proto-Germanic*warō
2. Proto-West Germanic*waru
3. Old Englishwaru
4. Middle Englishware
5. English todayware

From Middle English ware, from Old English waru, from Proto-West Germanic *waru, from Proto-Germanic *warō (“attention”) as in beware, in the sense of “an object of care, a valuable”, from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to watch, keep guard”), whence also ward. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Were (“an item for exchange, barter, or sale; ware”), Dutch waar (“goods offered for sale or use; ware”), German Ware (“ware”), Danish, Norwegian Bokmål, Norwegian Nynorsk vare (“ware”), Faroese vøra (“ware”), Icelandic and Swedish vara (“ware”).

ware · adjective²

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*waraz
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*war
3. Old English · inherited fromwær
4. Middle English · inherited fromware
5. English todayware

From Middle English ware, war, from Old English wær, from Proto-West Germanic *war, from Proto-Germanic *waraz.

ware · verb, adjective³

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*warōną
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*warōn
3. Old English · inherited fromwarian
4. Middle English · inherited fromwaren“to be ware, be on guard, be mindful, protect, guard”
5. English todayware

From Middle English waren (“to be ware, be on guard, be mindful, protect, guard”), from Old English warian, from Proto-West Germanic *warōn, from Proto-Germanic *warōną. Cognate with Saterland Frisian woarje (“to guard”).

ware · noun⁴

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wīraz
2. Old English · inherited fromwār“seaweed”
3. Middle English · inherited fromwor
4. English todayware

From Middle English wor (in sewor) from Old English wār (“seaweed”), ultimately related to Proto-Germanic *wīraz; compare wire. Cognate with Scots wair (“seaweed”), Dutch wier (“seaweed”), Middle Dutch wier (“seaweed”).

ware · noun⁵

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wazrą
2. Old Norse · derived fromvár“spring”
3. Middle English · inherited fromware
4. English todayware

From Middle English ware, from Old Norse vár (“spring”), from Proto-Germanic *wazrą. Cognate with Icelandic vor (“spring”), Swedish vår (“spring”), Danish vår (“spring”), Scots ware, wair (“spring”).

Ware · proper noun⁶

1. Middle Dutch · derived fromweder“ram”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*wadą“shallow water”
3. Middle English · derived fromwayour“horse pond”
4. English todayWare

* As an English surname, from the noun weir. * Also as an English surname, from Anglo-Norman and Middle English wayour (“horse pond”), ultimately from Proto-Germanic *wadą (“shallow water”). * Also as an English surname, from the adjective wary. * As an English surname of Norman origin, variant of Warr. * As a West Flemish surname, from De Weer, from Middle Dutch weder (“ram”).

Words from the same roots