Middle English word yaren comes from Proto-Indo-European *gherbh-, and later Proto-Germanic *garwaz (Ready, prepared.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *gherbh- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *garwaz | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | Ready, prepared. |
| *garwijaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To prepare. |
| gearwian | Old English (ang) | To make ready. To prepare. |
| ġearwian | Old English (ang) | |
| yaren | Middle English (enm) |