The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
Appendix I
Indo-European Roots
ENTRY:
wer-5
DEFINITION:
Also wer-. To speak. Oldest form *wer1-, with variant *wre1-, contracted to *wr-.1. Suffixed zero-grade form *w-dho-.word, from Old English word, word, from Germanic *wurdam.2. Suffixed form *wer-dho-.verb, verve; adverb, proverb, from Latin verbum, word. 3. Suffixed form *wer-yo-.irony, from Greek eirein, to say, speak. 4. Variant form *wr-.a. Suffixed form *wr-tor-.rhetor, from Greek rhtr, public speaker; b. suffixed form *wr-m.rheme, from Greek rhma, word. (Pokorny 6. er- 1162.)
-. To speak. Oldest form *wer
-. 1. Suffixed zero-grade form *w
-dho-. word, from Old English word, word, from Germanic *wurdam. 2. Suffixed form *wer-dho-. verb, verve; adverb, proverb, from Latin verbum, word. 3. Suffixed form *wer-yo-. irony, from Greek eirein, to say, speak. 4. Variant form *wr
r, public speaker; b. suffixed form *wr
. rheme, from Greek rh
er- 1162.) 
