English word origin

Etymology of tie

From Middle English teye (“cord, chain”), from Old English tēag, tēah (“cord, chain”), from Proto-West Germanic *taugu, from Proto-Germanic *taugō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dewk-. Compare Danish tov, Icelandi

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 2 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

A knot; a fastening. · A knot of hair, as at the back of a wig. · A necktie (item of clothing consisting of a strip of cloth tied around the neck). See also bow tie, black tie. · A lace-up shoe.

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

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Root classification mention*dewk-ine-pro
Inherited-form mentionteyeenm · cord, chain
Inherited-form mentiontēagang
Inherited-form mention*taugugmw-pro
Inherited-form mention*taugōgem-pro
Derivation mention*dewk-ine-pro
Cognate mentiontovda
Cognate mentiontaugis

This page abbreviates 14 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

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      "name": "root",
      "args": {
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        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dewk-"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "teye",
        "id": "cord",
        "t": "cord, chain"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English teye (“cord, chain”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "tēag",
        "id": "cord"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English tēag"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*taugu"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *taugu"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*taugō"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *taugō"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*dewk-"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *dewk-"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "da",
        "2": "tov"
      },
      "expansion": "Danish tov"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "taug"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic taug"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "teye",
      "teye#Middle_English:_cord"
    ],
    [
      "tēag",
      "teag#Old_English:_cord"
    ],
    [
      "tēah",
      "teah#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*taugu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/taugu"
    ],
    [
      "*taugō",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/taugō"
    ],
    [
      "*dewk-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dewk-"
    ],
    [
      "tov",
      "tov#Danish"
    ],
    [
      "taug",
      "taug#Icelandic"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A knot; a fastening.",
        "A knot of hair, as at the back of a wig.",
        "A necktie (item of clothing consisting of a strip of cloth tied around the neck). See also bow tie, black tie.",
        "A lace-up shoe."
      ],
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

verb

To twist (a string, rope, or the like) around itself securely. · To form (a knot or the like) in a string or the like. · To attach or fasten (one thing to another) by string or the like. · To secure (something) by string or the like.

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

From Middle English teien, teiȝen, from Old English tīġan, tīeġan, from Proto-West Germanic *taugijan, from Proto-Germanic *taugijaną, from Proto-Indo-European *dewk- (“to tug, draw”). Cognate with Icelandic teygja.

Relationships mentioned by the source

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

Root classification mention*dewk-ine-pro
Inherited-form mentionteienenm
Inherited-form mentiontīġanang
Inherited-form mention*taugijangmw-pro
Inherited-form mention*taugijanągem-pro
Derivation mention*dewk-ine-pro · to tug, draw
Cognate mentionteygjais

This page abbreviates 5 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
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      "name": "root",
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        "3": "*dewk-"
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    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
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        "2": "enm",
        "3": "teien"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English teien"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "tīġan"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English tīġan"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*taugijan"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *taugijan"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
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      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *taugijaną"
    },
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      "name": "der",
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      },
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    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "is",
        "2": "teygja"
      },
      "expansion": "Icelandic teygja"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "teien",
      "teien#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "teiȝen",
      "teiȝen#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "tīġan",
      "tigan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "tīeġan",
      "tiegan#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "*taugijan",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/taugijan"
    ],
    [
      "*taugijaną",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/taugijaną"
    ],
    [
      "*dewk-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/dewk-"
    ],
    [
      "teygja",
      "teygja#Icelandic"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To twist (a string, rope, or the like) around itself securely.",
        "To form (a knot or the like) in a string or the like.",
        "To attach or fasten (one thing to another) by string or the like.",
        "To secure (something) by string or the like."
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    "lexicalSenses": 5,
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}

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 tie →

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-dGll