Etymograph

English

undergang

Undergang comes from Middle English undergangen ‘to undego, endure, be baptised’, from Old English undergangan ‘to undergo’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- ‘to walk, step’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰengʰ-1‘to walk, step’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ganganą2‘to go, walk, step’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gangan3‘to go, walk, step’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150gangan4‘to go, walk’
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150undergangan5‘to undergo’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500undergangen5‘to undego, endure, be baptised’
  7. Englishtodayundergang5

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic *ganganą
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Proto-West Germanic *gangan
  3. 3 Wiktionary, Old English gangan
  4. 4 Wiktionary, Old English undergangan
  5. 5 Wiktionary, English undergang

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ǵʰengʰ-Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic *ganganą‘to walk, step’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*ganganąWiktionary, Proto-West Germanic *gangan‘to go, walk, step’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*ganganWiktionary, Old English gangan‘to go, walk, step’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150ganganWiktionary, Old English undergangan‘to go, walk’
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150underganganWiktionary, English undergang‘to undergo’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500undergangenWiktionary, English undergang‘to undego, endure, be baptised’
  7. EnglishtodayundergangWiktionary, English undergang

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- ‘to walk, step’

jay, camino, ging, doppelganger, 11 more

through Old English gangan ‘to go, walk’

gong, gan, 2 more

Today it means

verb To undergo; pass through; endure.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “undergang”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Proto-Germanic *ganganą, Proto-West Germanic *gangan, Old English gangan, Old English undergangan. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰengʰ- / undergang

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