*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of ween

From Middle English wene, from Old English wēn, wēna (“hope, weening, expectation”), from Proto-West Germanic *wāni, from Proto-Germanic *wēniz, *wēnǭ (“hope, expectation”), from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to strive,

5 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 5 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
noun

Doubt; conjecture.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English wene, from Old English wēn, wēna (“hope, weening, expectation”), from Proto-West Germanic *wāni, from Proto-Germanic *wēniz, *wēnǭ (“hope, expectation”), from Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to strive, love, want, reach, win”). Cognate with Dutch waan (“delusion”), Afrikaans waan (“delusion”), German Wahn (“illusion, false hope”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

  • Inherited-form mentionweneenm
  • Inherited-form mentionwēnang
  • Inherited-form mention*wānigmw-pro
  • Inherited-form mention*wēnizgem-pro
  • Derivation mention*wenh₁-ine-pro
  • Cognate mentionwaannl
  • Cognate mentionwaanaf
  • Cognate mentionWahnde
Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "wene"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English wene"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "wēn"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English wēn"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*wāni"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *wāni"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*wēniz"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *wēniz"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*wenh₁-",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to strive, love, want, reach, win"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *wenh₁- (“to strive, love, want, reach, win”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "waan",
        "3": "",
        "4": "delusion"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch waan (“delusion”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "af",
        "2": "waan",
        "3": "",
        "4": "delusion"
      },
      "expansion": "Afrikaans waan (“delusion”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "Wahn",
        "3": "",
        "4": "illusion, false hope"
      },
      "expansion": "German Wahn (“illusion, false hope”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "wene",
      "wene#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "wēn",
      "wen#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "wēna",
      "wena#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*wāni",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/wāni"
    ],
    [
      "*wēniz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wēniz"
    ],
    [
      "*wēnǭ",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wēnǭ"
    ],
    [
      "*wenh₁-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/wenh₁-"
    ],
    [
      "waan",
      "waan#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "waan",
      "waan#Afrikaans"
    ],
    [
      "Wahn",
      "Wahn#German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "Doubt; conjecture."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "458d723aabc248f6a10be558bf0fb20f9e815cba9a3a44bac633074786a434bd",
      "rawRecordSha256": "2040a26d2d041db50c7d0ae8ef71ad11cfc78542bdc015bcd590c313834de871",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 308277
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
verb

To suppose, imagine; to think, believe. · To expect, hope or wish.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English wenen, from Old English wēnan, from Proto-Germanic *wēnijaną. Cognate with Dutch wanen, German wähnen.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "wenen"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English wenen"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "wēnan"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English wēnan"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*wēnijaną"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *wēnijaną"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "wanen"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch wanen"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "wähnen"
      },
      "expansion": "German wähnen"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "wenen",
      "wenen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "wēnan",
      "wenan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*wēnijaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wēnijaną"
    ],
    [
      "wanen",
      "wanen#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "wähnen",
      "wähnen#German"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To suppose, imagine; to think, believe.",
        "To expect, hope or wish."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic",
        "dated"
      ],
      "recordId": "5583f94fabc17620f4aaf3f92b879a1a44a8672c26c4f273756d3dd7c7cc6077",
      "rawRecordSha256": "0e4e859978256187949d1c7e29857cd658241750a80efb8de6ae28f0162c6c0f",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 308278
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 3

Original entry ↗
verb

To weep or cry. · To lament.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Middle English weinen (“to wail, lament”), from Old English wānian (“to bewail, lament”), from Proto-Germanic *wainōną (“to cry, lament, grieve”). Cognate with Dutch wenen (“to weep, cry”), German weinen (“to weep, cry”), Icelandic veina (“to wail, cry out”), West Frisian weine (“to weep, cry”).

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "weinen",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to wail, lament"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English weinen (“to wail, lament”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "wānian",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to bewail, lament"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English wānian (“to bewail, lament”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*wainōną",
        "4": "",
        "5": "to cry, lament, grieve"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *wainōną (“to cry, lament, grieve”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "nl",
        "2": "wenen",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to weep, cry"
      },
      "expansion": "Dutch wenen (“to weep, cry”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "de",
        "2": "weinen",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to weep, cry"
      },
      "expansion": "German weinen (“to weep, cry”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "veina",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to wail, cry out"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic veina (“to wail, cry out”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "fy",
        "2": "weine",
        "3": "",
        "4": "to weep, cry"
      },
      "expansion": "West Frisian weine (“to weep, cry”)"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "weinen",
      "weinen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "wānian",
      "wanian#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*wainōną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/wainōną"
    ],
    [
      "wenen",
      "wenen#Dutch"
    ],
    [
      "weinen",
      "weinen#German"
    ],
    [
      "veina",
      "veina#Icelandic"
    ],
    [
      "weine",
      "weine#West_Frisian"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To weep or cry.",
        "To lament."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Northern-England",
        "Scotland",
        "rare",
        "obsolete"
      ],
      "recordId": "5358a6a36198f7dbc87a8af905eada0059f3ede7ad6b5c6939f567e155d3b3dc",
      "rawRecordSha256": "543f9c4c13371ec0abb9a1a5b8a592d848453d32f7cc2b8b4f9ce3fc6ac4fd4b",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 308279
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 5

Original entry ↗
noun

wiener dog, dachshund

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Abbreviation of wiener dog

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "wiener dog",
      "wiener dog"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "wiener dog, dachshund"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "fd7178bbcacd7b3a0d9f8b25409d1b3531bcae70064bca23835708ff534e18a4",
      "rawRecordSha256": "8f7218071d5b2892d6116e1b1eec6d4b6f66cfdf957ea4e604f829e48792c8ae",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 308281
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 6

Original entry ↗
noun

penis

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Abbreviation of wiener (penis)

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "wiener",
      "wiener"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "penis"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "76f472b8329d351832777dfe2db04257f1fd2b059f0cf4ff833950d4b4105c6c",
      "rawRecordSha256": "efdaf3c7e86f60ca76fac2e71e92aae2da6512ba6d7ebfc73281654733bc43e5",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 308282
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for ween →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-d2Vlbg