grys (Afrikaans)
Where does "grys" come from?
The Afrikaans word 'grys' descends directly from the Dutch 'grijs', tracing its lineage back through Middle and Old Dutch. It originates from the Proto-Germanic word '*grīsaz', which eventually defined the shade of grey we recognize today. While some scholars speculate a distant connection to an Indo-European root meaning 'to grow or become green', this link remains uncertain.
Full etymology tree
- grys (Afrikaans), 'grey/gray'
- inherited grijs (Dutch), 'grey, grey-colored'
- inherited grijs (Middle Dutch), 'grey (generally of hair)'
- inherited *grīs (Old Dutch)
- inherited *grīs (Proto-West Germanic), 'grey'
- inherited *grīsaz (Proto-Germanic), 'grey'
- inherited *grīs (Proto-West Germanic), 'grey'
- inherited *grīs (Old Dutch)
- inherited grijs (Middle Dutch), 'grey (generally of hair)'
- inherited grijs (Dutch), 'grey, grey-colored'
Ancestors
- grijs (Dutch)
Updated July 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris