weir

weir · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*wer-“to cover”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*warjaną
3. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*warjan
4. Old English · inherited fromwer
5. Middle English · inherited fromwere
6. English todayweir

From Middle English were, from Old English wer, from werian (“to dam up”), from Proto-West Germanic *warjan, from Proto-Germanic *warjaną, from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to cover”); Cognate with Old Norse ver (“station for fishing”), Sanskrit वृणोति (vṛṇóti). Related to warranty.

Weir · proper noun²

1. Norman · derived fromde la Were“of the war”
2. English todayWeir

* As an English and Scottish surname, from the noun weir. Compare Wear, Ware. * Sometimes also a French surname, perhaps a version of Norman de la Were (“of the war”), see Warr. There is also the placename Wierre-au-Bois in Pas-de-Calais. * As an Irish surname, shortened and Anglicized from Mac an Mhaoir (“son of the steward”), see McNair. Also sometimes Anglicized from erroneous translations of names such as Ó Corra, Ó Comhraidhe, see Corr and Curry.

Words from the same roots