Middle English word ea comes from Proto-Germanic *aiwa-, Old English ǣlā, Proto-Indo-European *h₂ekʷeh₂, Proto-Indo-European *h₁egʷʰ-, and later Old English æ (Ceremony, custom, marriage. Law, scripture.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *aiwa- | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | |
| ǣlā | Old English (ang) | |
| *h₂ekʷeh₂ | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *h₁egʷʰ- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| æ | Old English (ang) | Ceremony, custom, marriage. Law, scripture. |
| *h₂ékʷeh₂ | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | Water. |
| *ahwō | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Stream, river. Water. |
| *hē | Old English (ang) | |
| eo | Middle English (enm) |