Win
/wɪn/noun
To achieve victory or success in a contest, struggle, or competition.
Did you know?English win comes from an old Germanic verb meaning “to gain” or “to get,” and it’s historically tied to the same ancient root behind words for conquest and overcoming.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wenh₁-
“to desire, strive for, or seek to gain”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*winaną
“to strive, gain, or obtain”
Old English
English
winnan
“to struggle, fight, toil, or strive”
Middle English
English
winnen
“to gain, obtain, or achieve”
Modern English
English
win
“to achieve victory or success”