gray的词源

英文词源

gray (adj.)

"of a color between white and black; having little or no color or luminosity," Old English græg "gray" (Mercian grei), from Proto-Germanic *grewa- "gray" (cognates: Old Norse grar, Old Frisian gre, Middle Dutch gra, Dutch graw, Old High German grao, German grau), with no certain connections outside Germanic. French gris, Spanish gris, Italian grigio, Medieval Latin griseus are Germanic loan-words. The spelling distinction between British grey and U.S. gray developed 20c. Expression the gray mare is the better horse in reference to households ruled by wives is recorded from 1540s.

gray (n.)

c. 1200, from gray (adj.). Gray as figurative for "Southern troops in the U.S. Civil War" is first recorded 1863, in reference to their uniform color.

gray (v.)

"become gray, wither," 1610s (with an isolated instance from late 14c.), from gray (adj.). Related: Grayed; graying.

中文词源

gray：灰白色

来自PIE*gher, 照耀，照明。此处指微光，灰白色。词义演变比较brown, 来自PIE*bher, 照耀，照明，词源同bright.

该词的英语词源请访问趣词词源英文版：gray 词源，gray 含义。