Word origin of the word water

English[edit]

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Pronunciation[edit]

• (United Kingdom)
  • (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈwɔːtə/
  • (England, Estuary English) IPA^(key): [ˈwoːʔɐ], [ˈwoːʔə]
  • (England, Cockney) IPA^(key): [ˈwoʊʔə], [ˈwɔoɾɐ]
  • (Scotland) IPA^(key): /ˈwɔtər/, [ˈwɔtər]
  • (dialectal) IPA^(key): /ˈwɒtə/, /ˈwɒtəɹ/
• (North America)
  • (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈwɔtəɹ/, [ˈwɔɾɚ], enPR: wôtər
  • (US, cot–caught merger, Canada) IPA^(key): /ˈwɑtəɹ/, [ˈwɑɾɚ], enPR: wŏtər
  • (NYC) IPA^(key): [ˈwɔəɾə]
  • (Philadelphia) IPA^(key): /ˈwʊtəɹ/, [ˈwʊɾɚ]
  • (Western Pennsylvania) IPA^(key): /ˈwɔɹtəɹ/, [ˈwɔɹɾɚ]
• (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA^(key): /ˈwoːtə/, [ˈwoːɾə]
• (Ireland) IPA^(key): /ˈwɔːtəɹ/, [ˈwɒːθ̠ɚ]
• (Indian English) IPA^(key): [ˈwɔʈə(r)], [ˈʋɔʈə(r)]
  • (Tamil English) IPA^(key): [ˈʋaːʈər(ɯ)], [ˈwaːʈər(ɯ)]
• (General South African) IPA^(key): [ˈwoːtə]
• (Northern English, dated, obsolete elsewhere) IPA^(key): /ˈwætəɹ/, [ˈwætə], [ˈwæɾɚ]
• Hyphenation: wa‧ter
• Rhymes: -ɔːtə(ɹ), -ɒtə(ɹ)

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle English water, from Old English wæter (“water”), from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”).

Noun[edit]

water (countable and uncountable, plural waters)

2. (uncountable) A substance (of molecular formula H₂O) found at room temperature and pressure as a clear liquid; it is present naturally as rain, and found in rivers, lakes and seas; its solid form is ice and its gaseous form is steam.

   By the action of electricity, the water was resolved into its two parts, oxygen and hydrogen.

   • 2013 September-October, Katie L. Burke, “In the News”, in American Scientist:

     Oxygen levels on Earth skyrocketed 2.4 billion years ago, when cyanobacteria evolved photosynthesis: the ability to convert water and carbon dioxide into carbohydrates and waste oxygen using solar energy.

   1. (uncountable, in particular) The liquid form of this substance: liquid H₂O.

      May I have a glass of water?

      Your plants need more water.

      • 1835, Sir John Ross, Sir James Clark Ross, Narrative of a Second Voyage in Search of a North-west Passage …, Volume 1, pp.284-5

        Towards the following morning, the thermometer fell to 5°; and at daylight, there was not an atom of water to be seen in any direction.

      • 2002, Arthur T. Hubbard, Encyclopedia of Surface and Colloid Science, →ISBN, page 4895:

        A water drop placed on the surface of ice can either spread or form a lens depending on the properties of the three phases involved in wetting, i.e., on the properties of the ice, water, and gas phases.

      • 2013 May 11, “The climate of Tibet: Pole-land”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8835, page 80:

        Of all the transitions brought about on the Earth’s surface by temperature change, the melting of ice into water is the starkest. It is binary. And for the land beneath, the air above and the life around, it changes everything.

      • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:water.
   2. (countable) A serving of liquid water.

      • 2006, Lori Foster, Erin McCarthy, Amy Garvey, Bad Boys of Summer, →ISBN, page 91:

        Joe bustled back and offered her a glass of wine but she shook her head. “Just a water, please.”

3. (alchemy, philosophy) The aforementioned liquid, considered one of the Classical elements or basic elements of alchemy.

   He showed me the river of living water, sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God.

4. (uncountable or in the plural) Water in a body; an area of open water.

   • c. 1595–1596 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Loues Labour’s Lost”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene i], page 138, column 2:

     Roſa. O vain peticioner, beg a greater matter,
     Thou now requeſts but Mooneſhine in the water.

   • 1913, Joseph C. Lincoln, chapter 1, in Mr. Pratt’s Patients:

     ‘Twas early June, the new grass was flourishing everywheres, the posies in the yard—peonies and such—in full bloom, the sun was shining, and the water of the bay was blue, with light green streaks where the shoal showed.

   • 2019, VOA Learning English (public domain)

     The president expressed hope that creating rain over waters between the countries would help reduce pollution.

   And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.

   The boat was found within the territorial waters.

   These seals are a common sight in the coastal waters of Chile.

5. (poetic, archaic or dialectal) A body of water, almost always a river.
   • 1842, Alfred Tennyson, “Morte d’Arthur”, in Poems. […], volume II, London: Edward Moxon, […], →OCLC, page 4:

     On one side lay the Ocean, and on one
     Lay a great water, and the moon was full.

   • 1865, William Allingham (ed.), The Ballad Book: a selection of the choicest British ballads, William and May Margaret, or the Water of Clyde:

     But ere he came to Clyde’s water, fu’ loud the wind did blaw.

6. A combination of water and other substance(s).
   1. (sometimes countable) Mineral water.

      Perrier is the most popular water in this restaurant.

   2. (countable, often in the plural) Spa water.

      Many people visit Bath to take the waters.

   3. (pharmacy) A solution in water of a gaseous or readily volatile substance.

      ammonia water

   4. Urine. [from 15th c.]

      • 1999, George R.R. Martin, A Clash of Kings, Bantam, published 2011, page 458:

        Ser Dunaver’s squire Jodge could not hold his water when he slept.

   6. Amniotic fluid or the amniotic sac containing it. (Used only in the plural in the UK but often also in the singular in North America.)

      Synonym: bag of waters

      Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s water breaks. (North America)

      Before your child is born, your water(s) will break. (North America)

      Before the child is born, the pregnant woman’s waters break. (UK)

   7. (colloquial, medicine) Fluids in the body, especially when causing swelling.

      He suffers from water on the knee.

7. (figuratively, in the plural or in the singular) A state of affairs; conditions; usually with an adjective indicating an adverse condition.

   The rough waters of change will bring about the calm after the storm.

8. (colloquial, figuratively) A person’s intuition.

   Synonym: bones

   I know he’ll succeed. I feel it in my waters.

9. (uncountable, dated, finance) Excess valuation of securities.

   • 1902 August 2, “Too Much Water to Suit Cummins”, in The Atlanta Constitution:

     Iowa Governor Will Fight Rock Island Reorganization. He Says That Under the New Plan Too Much Water Is Put Into the Stock—Believes Plan Is Out of Harmony with Iowa Laws.

   • 1920 April 11, “Says Stock ‘Water’ Didn’t Affect Fare”, in New York Times:

     the outstanding stock and bond obligations of the company were reduced from $34,000,000 to $24,000,000 by squeezing out the water.

10. The limpidity and lustre of a precious stone, especially a diamond.

    a diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent
11. A wavy, lustrous pattern or decoration such as is imparted to linen, silk, metals, etc.

Alternative forms[edit]

• wahter, wahtuh (eye dialect)

Synonyms[edit]

• See also Thesaurus:water
• See also Thesaurus:urine

Antonyms[edit]

• (liquid H₂O): ice, steam, water vapor/water vapour
• (basic elements): earth, air/wind, fire; wood, metal; void/ether

Hypernyms[edit]

• (chemical having the formula H₂O): chemical, substance
• (liquid H₂O): liquid, fluid
• (basic elements): element
• (urine): body fluid, bodily fluid, biofluid

Hyponyms[edit]

• (chemical having the formula H₂O): heavy water; ice, steam, water vapor/water vapour
• (liquid H₂O): drinkwater, freshwater, meltwater, mineral water; hard water, soft water

Meronyms[edit]

• (chemical having the formula H₂O): hydrogen, oxygen

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

Translations[edit]

Etymology 2[edit]

From Middle English wateren, from Old English wæterian, from Proto-Germanic *watrōną, *watrijaną, from Proto-Germanic *watōr (“water”), from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”).

Verb[edit]

water (third-person singular simple present waters, present participle watering, simple past and past participle watered)

1. (transitive) To pour water into the soil surrounding (plants).

   • 1900, L. Frank Baum, chapter 24, in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz:

     Aunt Em had just come out of the house to water the cabbages when she looked up and saw Dorothy running toward her.

2. (transitive) To wet or supply with water; to moisten; to overflow with water; to irrigate.
   • Men whose lives glided on like rivers that water the woodlands.

4. (transitive) To provide (animals) with water for drinking.

   I need to water the cattle.

5. (intransitive) To get or take in water.

   The ship put into port to water.

   • 1944 January and February, W. McGowan Gradon, “Forres as a Railway Centre”, in Railway Magazine, page 23:

     After working the 1.30 p.m. through train from Forres to Aberdeen as far as Elgin, she returns tender first with a local passenger train and is then coaled and watered at Forres shed, and eventually works back to Perth on the 10.20 p.m. through freight.

6. (transitive, colloquial) To urinate onto.

   Nature called, so I stepped into the woods and watered a tree.

7. (transitive) To dilute.

   Can you water the whisky, please?

8. (transitive, dated, finance) To overvalue (securities), especially through deceptive accounting.

   • 1930 April 10, “Calls Rail Holding Companies Threat”, in The Sun:

     such agencies would make it possible for the railroads to water stock and evade the law subjecting security issues to public regulation

9. (intransitive) To fill with or secrete water.

   Chopping onions makes my eyes water.

   The smell of fried onions makes my mouth water.

10. (transitive) To wet and calender, as cloth, so as to impart to it a lustrous appearance in wavy lines; to diversify with wavelike lines.

    to water silk

Synonyms[edit]

• (urinate): (see the list of synonyms in the entry «urinate»)
• (dilute): water down

Antonyms[edit]

• (dilute): refine

Derived terms[edit]

Translations[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• “water”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• water in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams[edit]

• Ewart, tawer

Afrikaans[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Dutch water, from Middle Dutch wāter, from Old Dutch watar, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈvɑːtər/

Noun[edit]

water (plural waters)

1. water
2. any artificial fluid similar to water
3. (colloquial) urine
4. any body of water, such as a river or a lake
5. a disease where water is accumulated; hydrops
6. (in the plural) a large quantity of water; inundation

Verb[edit]

water (present water, present participle waterende, past participle gewater)

1. to urinate
2. to secrete liquid

Derived terms[edit]

• waterlemoen
• ontwater

References[edit]

• Jan Kromhout, Afrikaans-English, English-Afrikaans Dictionary (2001)

Dutch[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈʋaːtər/, (Belgium) [β̞aːtər], (Netherlands) [ʋaːtər]

• audio (Belgium, the first one)

  (file)

• audio (Netherlands)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -aːtər
• Hyphenation: wa‧ter

Etymology 1[edit]

From Middle Dutch wāter, from Old Dutch watar, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

Noun[edit]

water n (plural waters or wateren, diminutive watertje n)

1. water (H₂O)

   Het water kookte.

   The water boiled.

2. body of water (such as a lake, ditch or stream)
3. bodily fluid (especially amniotic fluid)

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• Afrikaans: water
• Javindo: water
• Negerhollands: watu, water, water, waeter
• Petjo: watter
• Skepi Creole Dutch: water
• →? Sranan Tongo: watra
  • → Aukan: wataa
  • → Saramaccan: wáta

Etymology 2[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb[edit]

water

1. first-person singular present indicative of wateren
2. imperative of wateren

Further reading[edit]

• “water” in Van Dale Onlinewoordenboek, Van Dale Lexicografie, 2007.

Anagrams[edit]

• tarwe

Dutch Low Saxon[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• wotter, woater, waoter

Etymology[edit]

From Old Saxon watar.

Noun[edit]

water

1. (Drents, Twents) water

See also[edit]

• Water

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Ellipsis of water-closet, borrowed from English water closet.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /wa.tɛʁ/

Noun[edit]

water m (plural waters)

1. toilet, bathroom
2. Ellipsis of water-closet.

Synonyms[edit]

• toilettes
• toilette (Belgium)
• waters
• WC

Derived terms[edit]

• waters

Further reading[edit]

• “water”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

Italian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Pseudo-anglicism, a clipping of English water closet.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈva.ter/^[1]
• Rhymes: -ater

Noun[edit]

water m (invariable)

1. toilet bowl
2. (colloquial) water closet, toilet

References[edit]

Limburgish[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• Waater (Eupen, Krefeld)

Etymology[edit]

From Middle Dutch wāter, from Old Dutch watar, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr, from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥.

Noun[edit]

water n

1. water
2. body of water

Conjugation[edit]

Inflection

	Root singular	Root plural	Diminutive singular	Diminutive plural
Nominative	water	watere	waeterke	waeterkes
Genitive	waters	watere	waeterkes	waeterkes
Locative	wateves	watevese	waeterke	waeterkes
Dative¹	watevem	?	?	?
Accusative¹	water	watere	?	?

• Dative and accusative are nowadays obsolete, use nominative instead.
• Plural and diminutive only used for the meaning body of water.

Derived terms[edit]

• móndjwater

References[edit]

• Stefaan Top, Limburgs sagenboek (2004), page 45

Middle Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Dutch watar.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈwaːtər/

Noun[edit]

wāter n

1. water

Inflection[edit]

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants[edit]

• Dutch: water
  • Afrikaans: water
  • Javindo: water
  • Negerhollands: watu, water, water, waeter
  • Petjo: watter
  • Skepi Creole Dutch: water
  • →? Sranan Tongo: watra
    • → Aukan: wataa
    • → Saramaccan: wáta
• Limburgish: water
• West Flemish: woater

Further reading[edit]

• “water”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E.; Verdam, J. (1885–1929), “water”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN

Middle English[edit]

Alternative forms[edit]

• watere, watir, waterre

Etymology[edit]

From Old English wæter, from Proto-West Germanic *watar, from Proto-Germanic *watōr.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈwatər/, /ˈwaːtər/

Noun[edit]

water (plural wateres)

1. water (liquid H₂O)

   • c. 1190, Layamon, Brut, MS. Cotton Caligula A ix edition:

     al ſwa great ſwa a beam:
     þe he leide in ane walle ſtream.
     Þe ilke makeð þat water hot:
     & þan folc halwende.

     (please add an English translation of this quote)

2. water vapour, condensation
3. lake, pond, ocean, canal, body of water
4. water source, spring, well, fount
5. solution, liquid mixture

Quotations[edit]

• For quotations using this term, see Citations:water.

Derived terms[edit]

• waterlees

Descendants[edit]

• English: water (see there for further descendants)
• Scots: watter
• Yola: waudher, wadher

References[edit]

• “wā̆ter, n.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007, retrieved 2018-03-20.

Middle Low German[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Old Saxon watar.

Pronunciation[edit]

• (originally) IPA^(key): /ˈwaːtər/

Noun[edit]

wāter n

1. water

   • 1537, Jürgen Richolff the Younger, Datt högeste unde öldeste water recht, xxviii:

     Eyn schip effte twe effte meer liggen in einer hauen dar kleyn water is
     vnde plecht dröge tho synde
     also dat dat eyne schip hart by dem andern tho liggende kumpt […]

     A ship or two or more lie in a port with little water, which tends to be dry, so that one the ship comes to lie close by the other […]

Declension[edit]

Descendants[edit]

• German Low German: Water

Occitan[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Shortened form of English water closet.

Noun[edit]

water m

1. (colloquial) water closet, toilet, rest room

What is the origin of the word water?

The word water comes from Old English wæter, from Proto-Germanic *watar (source also of Old Saxon watar, Old Frisian wetir, Dutch water, Old High German wazzar, German Wasser, vatn, Gothic ???? (wato), from Proto-Indo-European *wod-or, suffixed form of root *wed- (“water”; “wet”).

Is Gen Latin or Greek?

-gen- comes from Greek and Latin, where it has the meanings “race; birth; born; produced.

What does NAT mean in Greek?

nat (to be born, birth)

What is the word for sign?

harbinger, trace, hint, light, signal, prediction, clue, note, flag, warning, gesture, suggestion, manifestation, wave, symbol, symptom, proof, notice, emblem, placard.

What does PED mean in English?

-ped- , root. -ped- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning “foot. ” This meaning is found in such words as: biped, centipede, expedient, expedite, expedition, impede, impediment, millipede, moped, pedal, pedestal, pedestrian, pedicure, pedometer, quadruped.

What does the acronym PED stand for?

PED

Acronym	Definition
PED	Physical Education
PED	Public Education Department (New Mexico)
PED	Psychogenic Erectile Dysfunction (disorder)
PED	Price Elasticity of Demand (economics)

What does RMR mean?

RMR

Acronym	Definition
RMR	Reliability Must-Run (electric generation plant’s status to maintain grid voltage/reliability)
RMR	Rick Mercer Report (TV show, Canada)
RMR	Radio Mundo Real (Spanish: Real World Radio)
RMR	Recurring Monthly Revenue (finance)

What does PED stand for in music?

Press the right sustaining pedal

What is Ped made of?

What exactly is a PED? It is defined as any substance taken in non-pharmacologic doses specifically for purposes of improving sports performance. The more common ones that you hear of are anabolic steroids, testosterone, human growth hormone, creatine and ephedrine.

What is a ped in soil?

Peds are individual, natural soil aggregates, which have units of mm to m in size. An example of a ped is a granule, a prism, or a block.

What are the two forms of structureless soil?

WHAT IS SOIL STRUCTURE?

• Structureless – No observable aggregation or no definite and orderly arrangement of natural lines of weakness.
• Weak – Poorly formed indistinct peds, barely observable in place.
• Moderate – Well-formed distinct peds evident in undisturbed soil.
• Strong – Peds are distinct in undisturbed soil.

What is the difference between a PED and a clod?

Peds are individual, natural soil aggregates, which have units of mm to m in size. An example of a ped is a granule, a prism, or a block. ➢ Peds are NOT clods. Clods are chunks of soil formed artificially, often compressed due to plowing or other disturbance, or excavation.

What is the different types of soil?

Here is a break down of the common traits for each soil type:

• Sandy soil. Sandy Soil is light, warm, dry and tend to be acidic and low in nutrients.
• Clay Soil. Clay Soil is a heavy soil type that benefits from high nutrients.
• Silt Soil.
• Peat Soil.
• Chalk Soil.
• Loam Soil.

What are the 4 soil types?

Soil is classified into four types:

• Sandy soil.
• Silt Soil.
• Clay Soil.
• Loamy Soil.

What are the 12 types of soil?

This lesson will examine each of these 12 soil orders in turn: Entisols, Inceptisols, Andisols, Mollisols, Alfisols, Spodosols, Ultisols, Oxisols, Gelisols, Histosols, Aridisols, and Vertisols.

What are 6 types of soil?

There are six main soil types:

• Clay.
• Sandy.
• Silty.
• Peaty.
• Chalky.
• Loamy.

Происхождение слова ВОДА

Происхождение слова вода точно неизвестно. Оно возникло еще в глубокой древности, и с тех самых пор, так говорят о любой живой жидкости, без которой невозможно наше существование, а также и всей природы.

Слово вода в своем корне содержит положительное определение и обозначает животворящую природную силу. Нет такого народа, в языке которого это звучало бы иначе, потому что значение воды в жизни человека огромно и переоценить его невозможно.

В словарях русского языка есть такое определение: ВОДА (“Въ + Да”) – это “проникающая основа движения истока”.

На немецком слово вода  – Wasser, на французском – Eau, на итальянском, испанском и португальском – Aqua. Eau de ris, eau d’orqe – в какой-то мере, эти слова сопоставимы с нашим понятием – отвар.

Нередко корень этого слова напоминает другие слова, которые говорят о влаге или они сходны, по своему значению, с существительными.

Вода

Сюда же — водка,
украинское, белорусское — вода,
древнерусское, старославянское -. вода (Супр.),
болгарское — вода ,
сербохорватское — во да,
словенское — vo da,
чешское — voda,
польское — woda.

Древние ступени чередования представлены в ведро , выдра.

Вода — это:

Бесцветная прозрачная жидкость, представляющая собою химическое соединение водорода и кислорода и содержащаяся в атмосфере, почве, живых организмах и т.п.

Н2О, жидкость без запаха, вкуса, цвета (в толстых слоях голубоватая); плотность 1,000 г/см3 (3,98 °С), tпл 0 °С, tкип 100 °С. Одно из самых распространенных веществ в природе (гидросфера занимает 71% поверхности Земли).

Жидкость, используемая для утоления жажды, приготовления пищи и т.п.

Скопление жидкости, образующей ручьи, реки, озера и т.п. Движущаяся масса такой жидкости.

Разлив рек во время половодья.

Поверхность рек, озер, морей и т.п.

Насыщенная солями жидкость, извлекаемая из минеральных источников и применяемая в лечебных целях в виде питья или ванн.

Напиток минеральный, газированный или фруктовый, применяемый в качестве питья или с гигиенической, лечебной целью.

Виды воды: Дождевая вода. Морская вода. Колодезная вода. Жесткая, мягкая вода. Питьевая вода. Сырая, кипяченая вода.

Мнения

О происхождении слова ВОДА (прислал нам на сайт Валерий): ВОДА — Веда Образ ДА (истины доброй) . Знает образ добра. Так закодировано название вода. Видим что в нашем языке именно воде придавалось такое свойство.

И дополнение от Игоря (из Витебска): как-то прочитал, что в древности слово вода звучало —бода. Конечно настоящие русские слова имеют смысл и разьяснение. Например, если вера —ве-ра —ведение ра, т.е.света, мудрости, то можно понять и значение слова вода, или бода.

На английском:

(жидкость) water

дождева  вода — rain water

морская вода — sea water

пресная вода — fresh / sweet water

минеральная вода — mineral water

газированная вода — carbonated drink, soda

большая вода (в половодье) — high water, flood

малая вода — low water

путеше ствовать по воде — go / travel by water

ходить по воду — fetch water (from the well)

What is the origin of the word water?

The word water comes from Old English wæter, from Proto-Germanic *watar (source also of Old Saxon watar, Old Frisian wetir, Dutch water, Old High German wazzar, German Wasser, vatn, Gothic ???? (wato), from Proto-Indo-European *wod-or, suffixed form of root *wed- («water«; «wet»).

What is the Greek and Latin root for water?

They hail from Greek (hydro) and Latin (aqua) and mean “water”.

What is the Greek root that means water?

The Greek cognate húdōr (‘water‘) is the basis of numerous English words with the prefix hydr-, including hydrate, hydrant, hydrangea, hydraulic, hydrogen (the element that generates water when oxidised), hydrocarbon, hydroelectric, hydrofoil and a whole host of more specialized scientific words.

Is Hydra Greek or Latin?

Middle English Ydra, Idre, borrowed from Latin Hydra «any of various mythical monsters, especially the Hydra of Lerna killed by Hercules, a constellation,» borrowed from Greek hýdra «aquatic snake, the Hydra of Lerna, a constellation»; (sense 4) borrowed from New Latin, genus name, going back to Latin — more at otter.

What does vid mean in Latin?

The Latin root words vis and its variant vid both mean “see.” These Latin roots are the word origin of a good number of English vocabulary words, including visual, invisible, provide, and evidence.

What does Audi mean in Latin?

The company name is based on the Latin translation of the surname of the founder, August Horch. «Horch», meaning «listen» in German, becomes «audi» in Latin. The four rings of the Audi logo each represent one of four car companies that banded together to create Audi’s predecessor company, Auto Union.

What does aloof mean?

from worldly success

Is aloof an insult?

Aloof means not very friendly sort of distant. Reserved and antisocial are other words to describe it. I do tend to be aloof around people I don’t like much. I wouldn’t take it as an insult if someone is saying that about me in pretty sure that’s the message I was trying to send them.

When a person is aloof?

Someone who’s aloof isn’t warm and friendly, instead being distant and reserved. That emotionally cold and detached fellow who keeps to himself, drinking espresso and reading French philosophy, would best be described as aloof.

What is the opposite of aloof?

aloof. Synonyms: apart, away, separately. Antonyms: close, near, together.

How do you become aloof?

Being aloof is all about seeming disinterested, so don’t get into the deep stuff during conversation. Stick to surface-level topics like work, weather, current events, and sports. Avoid sharing details about your personal life and don’t encourage other people to do so. Don’t ask questions.

What are synonyms for aloof?

Some common synonyms of aloof are detached, disinterested, incurious, indifferent, and unconcerned.

What Word uses the Latin root meaning to hear?

audire

What is the Latin root meaning light?

lev

What does the root word Omni mean?

Save This Word! a combining form meaning “all,” used in the formation of compound words: omnifarious; omnipotence; omniscient.

Is Thor immortal?

Thor is functionally immortal in the comics, being an elder god Asgardian breed… consuming the golden apples of Idunn also keep him in physical prime. Odin is close to immortal if not immortal himself. … Also, remember when Thor lived to the end of the universe as Old King Thor…that means he is immortal until killed.

What is Thor’s full name?

Thor Odinson

Who created Hulk?

Stan Lee

What race is Hulk?

The Hulk is a fictional superhero appearing in publications by the American publisher Marvel Comics. Created by writer Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby, the character first appeared in the debut issue of The Incredible Hulk (May 1962)….

Hulk
Species	Human mutate
Place of origin	Dayton, Ohio

Water water everywhere, but not a drop to drink

So goes The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (well, not really), referring to the irony of how we cannot drink water from the ocean. And such is the situation in which Maldivians find themselves; surrounded by the substance which keeps them alive, but unable to consume it.

And because Ramadan is leaving everyone extra thirsty, I decided to write this post about water.

Let’s begin.

The English word water comes from the Old English wæter, which comes from the Proto-Germanic *watar. From this word, we get several Germanic cognates:

• Danish: vand
• Dutch: water
• German: wasser
• Frisian: wetter
• Icelandic: vatn
• Norwegian: vann
• Swedish: vatten

The Proto-Germanic word comes from the Proto-Indo-European *wod-or, the root of which is *wed.

Now things get interesting:

Greek

*Wed is the source of the Greek word ύδωρ (ýdor – or húdōr in Ancient Greek). This word came into English in the form of the prefix hydro-, giving us words like hydrogen and hydraulic, which literally mean “water producing” and “water pipe” respectively.

So it turns out water and hydro- are etymological twins, which you wouldn’t immediately guess just by looking at the words.

But wait, that’s not all.

Slavic

The Russian word for “water” which came from *wed is вода (voda). And it’s the same for other Slavic languages:

• Czech, Croatian, Slovenian, Slovak: voda
• Polish: woda
• Ukrainian: Вода (voda)

The addition of a diminutive suffix to the Russian word gives us водка (vodka), which literally means “little water”.

Latin

It turns out that the root *wed also had the nasalised form *unda. This form of the word managed to make it into Latin, with the original meaning of “water” changed into “wave”. See the other Romance language cognates:

• French: onde
• Italian, Portuguese, Spanish: onda
• Romanian: undă

This word was also borrowed into English in various forms. A surprising one is the word surround where the -ound comes from the Latin unda. The word literally means “overflow” and has nothing to do with the word round as you would first think. With this meaning in mind, it looks like Maldives is “surrounded” by water in more ways than one. Other English words based on the Latin word include inundate, redundant, and undulate, which mean “overflow”, “be over-full”, and “move in waves” respectively.

Sanskrit/Dhivehi

*Wed came into Sanskrit in the form उद्र (udra), which still means “water”. The Dhivehi descendant of this word is އުދަ (udha) which means “large/tidal wave”. It is possible that this is also related to އުދަރެސް (udhares), which means “horizon” (“where the ocean meets the sky”).

That was one of the really surprising things I found – that there is a Dhivehi cognate for the word water.

Yet there is still more.

Sanskrit/English

Another meaning of उद्र (udra) is “aquatic animal”. This has an English cognate other than water: the word otter. To be clear, otter doesn’t come from Sanskrit – the meaning of “aquatic animal” just happened to make it into both languages. But again, you wouldn’t even think that that the two are related!

More Water Words

As it turns out, the people who spoke Proto-Indo-European were a crazy bunch who had many words for water. *Wed, which we just looked at referred to water as an inanimate substance. The next word we’ll look at referred to water as a living force.

*Hep

This word made it into the Balto-Slavic languages Latvian and Lithuanian in the forms upe and  ùpė, respectively, with the meaning of “river”. It didn’t make it into any Germanic languages, but it was likely borrowed into English from a Celtic language, in the form avon, which also means “river”. This word survives in place names like Stratford-upon-Avon (the place where Shakespeare was born).

The word *Hep also made its way into various Indo-Iranian languages:

• Sanskrit: अप् (ap)
• Hindi: आब (āb)
• Farsi: آب (âb)
• Pashto: اوبه (obe)

This form was also borrowed into English through Arabic, Latin and French. The Farsi گلاب (golâb) meaning “rosewater” became the English julep, which is a drink (usually alcoholic) flavoured with aromatic herbs.

Strangely though, the Indo-Iranian forms of *Hep didn’t make it into Dhivehi, except as a borrowing in words like ގުލާބް (gulaab).

*Hek^weh

Another Proto-Indo-European word for water. This one made it into Latin in the form aqua which then went on into other Romance languages:

• Italian: aqua
• French: eau
• Spanish/Portuguese: agua
• Romanian: apă

*Hek^weh came into Proto-Germanic in two forms:

• *ahwō, meaning “river”, which gives us the dialectical English words ea and yeo which both mean “river” or “stream”.
• *awjō, meaning “floodplain” or “island”. This word gives us the English ey (meaning “island”) and it is where the i in island comes from (the s is there due to French influence). Ey as a suffix is also found in place names like Jersey and Guernsey, which are both Islands in the English Channel.

*Hek^weh, like *Hep, doesn’t have a Dhivehi descendant. In fact, it didn’t even make it into Sanskrit.

One Last Word

The only water word we haven’t looked at yet is the actual word for “water” used in Dhivehi: ފެން (fen). This comes from the Sanskrit पानीय (pānīya), which is based on the word पान (pāna) which means “(the act of) drinking”. Cognates exist in other Indic languages:

• Bengali: পানি (pani)
• Gujarati: પાણી (pāṇī)
• Hindi: पानी (pānī)
• Marathi: पाणी (pāṇī)

These words are also probably related to the word ފަނި (fani) which means “juice” or “syrup”.

पान (pāna) comes from the root पा (pā), which itself comes the PIE root *pō(i) which means “to drink”. Apart from being the source of “water” words in Indic languages, *pō(i) is also the source of “drink” words:

• Dhivehi: ބުއިން (buin) / ބޯން (boan)
• Sinhalese: බොන්න (bonna)
• Hindi: पीना (pīna)
• Nepali: पिउनु (piunu)
• Gujarati: પીવું (pīvũ)

*Pō(i) also has “drink” descendants in other languages:

• Latin: bibere
• Italian: bere
• French: boire
• Spanish/Portuguese: beber
• Romanian: bea
• Greek: πίνω (píno)
• Russian: пить (pit’)
• Czech: pít
• Croatian/Slovenian: piti
• Polish: pić
• Slovak: pit’

Even within English, there are several words which all go back to the root *pō(i):

• Beverage
• Beer (disputed origin)
• Bib
• Imbibe
• Potion
• Poison
• Symposium

Once again, you wouldn’t even think that words as different as these are related, or that they have cousins in so many other languages!

That’s It!

I hope you’re not feeling too thirsty after reading all that…

Tip: See my list of the Most Common Mistakes in English. It will teach you how to avoid mis­takes with com­mas, pre­pos­i­tions, ir­reg­u­lar verbs, and much more.

The English word “water” derives from Proto-Germanic *watōr, which in turn derives from Proto-Indo-European *wódr̥ (“water”). This is the most common etymology of the word among European languages, and includes North Germanic vatten, vatn, and similar, and Slavic voda, woda, etc. It corresponds to blue-coloured areas on the map below:

Do you like the map? Show your support by sharing it.Sharing with attribution helps me create more maps.

Red-coloured areas represent expressions based on the Latin word aqua or its Proto-Italic predecessor *akʷā, which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ékʷeh₂ (which also means “water”). In the case of Romanian apă and Aromanian apã, the change kʷ → p matches common historical sound changes, but some linguists suggest that they developed independently.

Greek νερό was coined in the Byzantine period from νεαρός (“fresh, new”), based on the phrase νεαρόν ὕδωρ (“fresh water”). The word ύδωρ, which comes from the same PIE root *wódr̥ as English “water”, still exists in Modern Greek, but it is used only in certain specialized phrases.

Welsh dŵr, Irish dobhar, Breton dour, and Cornish dowr come ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewb- (“deep”). Irish uisce and Scottish Gaelic uisge come, surprisingly, from *wódr̥, or rather its oblique stem *udén-. Similarly for Albanian, via Proto-Albanian *udrijā.

Finnish vesi, Hungarian víz, and similar expressions come from Proto-Uralic *wete, which is possibly connected to the Proto-Indo-European root *wed- (from which *wódr̥ is derived) in some way, but this is not known with certainty (it may be a borrowing from PIE into Proto-Uralic, or it is just a coincidence). Proponents of the proposed Indo-Uralic language family argue that this is an example of a common root shared between both families.

However, since none of what is described above is known with a high degree of certainty (except the Proto-Uralic root), these words are shown in a different colour (it is questionable whether showing etymologies that go beyond the proto-language of the entire family is meaningful anyway).

Sami čáhci, tjáhtje, and similar come from Proto-Uralic *śäčä, and it seems to be an early borrowing from Samoyedic languages (a branch of Uralic languages) rather than a native Sami word.

Turkish and Gagauz su and Crimean Tatar suv come from Proto-Turkic *sub (“water”). Maltese ilma comes from Proto-Semitic *maʾ- (“water”).

By the way, I have written several educational ebooks. If you get a copy, you can learn new things and support this website at the same time—why don’t you check them out?

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