Etymology
1. c.1205, "equipment," from O.N.
gervi "apparel," related to
gerr "ready," and
gerva "make ready," from P.Gmc.
*garwin- (cf. O.E.
gearwe; O.H.G.
garawi "clothing, dress,"
garawen "to make ready;" Ger.
gerben "to tan"), from PIE
*garw-. Meaning of "toothed wheel in machinery" first attested 1523. Slang for "male sex organs" from 1675. British slang sense of "stylish, excellent" first recorded 1951, from earlier
that's the gear, expression of approval, 1925.
2. Etymology tree
3. Proto-Indo-European *ḱe?
4. Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm
5. Proto-Germanic *ga-
6. Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-der.
7. Proto-Indo-European *h₃er-der.
8. Proto-Germanic *arwaz
9. Proto-Germanic *garwaz
10. Proto-Indo-European *-yeti
11. Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti
12. Proto-Germanic *-janą
13. Proto-Germanic *garwijanąder.
14. Old Norse gervibor.
15. Middle English gere
16. English gear
17. From Middle English gere, a borrowing from Old Norse gervi, from Proto-Germanic *garwijaną (“to prepare”). See also adjective yare, yar from the same root via Old English. See: Proto-Germanic '
*garwijaną'.
Verbs referencing "gear"
English
garb, Norwegian, nynorsk
gira.