Whey
/weɪ/noun
The watery part of milk that separates from the curds during cheese-making.
Did you know?Whey comes from the same ancient root as words for turning, winding, and veering, which is why its history feels like a quiet linguistic drift rather than a mystical spell.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*weǵʰ-
“to convey, transport, drive”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wajhaz
“whey”
Old English
English
hwǣġ
“whey”
Middle English
English
whey
“whey, the liquid separated from curds”
Modern English
English
whey
“the watery part of milk left after curdling”