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ware¹

(wâr)

1. An item that is offered for sale.

2. An attribute or ability, especially when regarded as an article of commerce: "Mathewson had displayed impressive wares with his fastball, big overhand curve and baffling 'fadeaway' (today known as a screwball)" (Stuart Miller).

[Middle English, from Old English waru, goods; see wer-³ in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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