Word Origin & History
year
O.E. gear (W.Saxon), ger (Anglian) "year," from P.Gmc. *jæram "year" (cf. O.S., O.H.G. jar, O.N. ar, Dan. aar, O.Fris. ger, Du. jaar, Ger. Jahr, Goth. jer "year"), from PIE *yer-o-, from base *yer-/*yor- "year, season" (cf. Avestan yare (nom. sing.) "year;" Gk. hora "year, season, any part of a year," also "any part of a day, hour;" O.C.S. jaru, Boh. jaro "spring;" L. hornus "of this year;" O.Pers. dušiyaram "famine," lit. "bad year"). Probably originally "that which makes [a complete cycle]," and from verbal root *ei- meaning "to do, make." Yearling is first attested 1465; yearly is O.E. gearlic (cf. Ger. jährlich).