Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

Wanderwort

noun
Wan·​der·​wort | \ ˈwän-dər-ˌwȯrt How to pronounce Wanderwort (audio) , ˈvän-dər-ˌvȯrt\
plural Wanderwörter\ ˈwän-​dər-​ˌwər-​tər How to pronounce Wanderwörter (audio) , ˈvän-​dər-​ˌvœr-​tər \ or Wanderworts

Definition of Wanderwort

: a word borrowed from one language to another across a broad geographical area often as a result of trade or adoption of newly introduced items or cultural practices

First Known Use of Wanderwort

1980, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for Wanderwort

borrowed from German, from wander- (derivative of wandern "to wander, roam," going back to Middle High German) + Wort "word," going back to Old High German — more at wander, word entry 1

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about Wanderwort

Statistics for Wanderwort

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for Wanderwort

The first known use of Wanderwort was in 1980

See more words from the same year

Comments on Wanderwort

What made you want to look up Wanderwort? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

insuperable

Listen to the pronounciation of insuperable

incapable of being surmounted or overcome

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Finance Words Quiz

  • a-piggy-bank
  • The etymology of mortgage is related most closely to which two words?
Spell It

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ
Word Winder's CrossWinder

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games