Wristwatch
/ˈrɪstˌwɒtʃ/noun
A small watch worn on the wrist.
Did you know?Unlike ancient timewords with occult roots, wristwatch is a straightforward 20th-century compound, but it inherits the deep old Germanic history of both wrist and watch.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wreǵ-
“to turn, bend”
Old English
OE
wrists
“the joint connecting the hand to the arm”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*wahtwō
“a watching, keeping guard”
Middle English
ME
wrist
“wrist”
Middle English
ME
wacche
“watch, guard, or period of wakefulness”
Modern English
English
wristwatch
“a watch worn on the wrist”