noun
wer
noun
1
An archaic word for "man" or "husband," now surviving only inside compound words like "werewolf."
"The prefix "wer-" in "werewolf" comes from this old word for "man.""
How to Use Wer
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old word for "man," now only found buried inside words like "werewolf."
When to use it
Obsolete outside of etymology discussions and compound words.
Word Forms
wers plural
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The prefix "_____-" in "werewolf" comes from this old word for "man."
Etymology
From Old English wer, "man," related to Latin vir (also "man"), which gives us words like "virile."