Torn
/tɔːrn/noun
Past participle of tear, meaning to rip or damage something by pulling it apart.
Did you know?In Old English, 'torn' was linked to the concept of a 'tear' being a magical or transformative act, often associated with loss or change.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*der-
“to tear or split apart.”
Ancient Germanic
Proto-Germanic
*tahwaną
“to pull apart or rip.”
Old English
Old English
teran
“to tear or rip apart.”
Middle English
Middle English
tornen
“to rip or rend, often used in contexts of destruction or violence.”
Modern English
English
torn
“the past participle of tear, implying having been ripped or damaged.”