English word owe comes from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eyḱ-, Proto-Indo-European *eik-, and later Proto-Germanic *aiganą (To possess, to own, to have.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *h₂eyḱ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | |
| *eik- | Proto-Indo-European (ine) | possession, ability |
| *aiganą | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To possess, to own, to have. |
| *aiganaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Own. |
| āgan | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| ǣġen | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | |
| agen | Old English (ca. 450-1100) (ang) | Own Again, eft, back Against, contra Again, anew. |
| aȝen | Middle English (1100-1500) (enm) | |
| owe | English (en) | To be under an obligation to give something back to someone or to perform some action for someone.. To have debt, to be in debt. |