English Explanatory Dictionary

were

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. second-person singular simple past indicative of be
  2. plural simple past indicative of be
  3. simple subjunctive of be
  4. first/third-person singular simple past indicative of be.
noun
  1. Alternative form of wer (“man; wergeld”).
noun
  1. The collective name for any kind of person that changes into another form under certain conditions, including the werewolf.

Pronunciation

/wə(ɹ)/ wər /wɜː/ wûr LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-were.wav /wɛː/ wâr /wɜː(ɹ)/ /weː/ /wɔː/ /wɛr/ /wɚ/ en-us-were.ogg /wɝ/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-whirr.wav /wøː/ /wɑːɹ/ wär

Word forms

were ware weare weres

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-der. Proto-Germanic *wēzīn Proto-West Germanic *wāʀīn Old English wǣre Middle English were English were Inherited from Middle English were, weren, from Old English wǣre, wǣron, wǣren, from Proto-West Germanic *wāʀun, *wāʀīn, from Proto-Germanic *wēzun, *wēzīn, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂wes-. More at was.

Synonyms

wast wert

Related words

am are art be been beest being is was wast wert
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