Etymology Dictionary

WAN,  colourless, languid, pale.  (E.)   M.E. wan, Chaucer, C. T. 2458.—A.S. wann, wonn, dark, black, Grein, ii. 638.   It occurs as an epithet of a raven, and of night; so that the sense of the word appears to have suffered a remarkable change; the sense, however, was probably 'dead' or 'colourless,' which is applicable to black and pallid alike.   There is no cognate word in other languages, and nothing to connect it clearly with A.S. wan, deficient.   Hence Ettmüller derives it from A.S. wann (also wonn), the pt. t. of winnan, to strive, contend, toil (whence E. win); so that the orig. sense would have been 'worn out with toil, tired out,' from which we easily pass to the sense of 'worn out' or 'pallid with sleeplessness' in the mod. E. word.   The sense of the A.S. word may be accounted for by supposing that it was orig. used (as it often is) as an epithet of night, so that wan night would mean over-toiled night, just as the very word night itself signifies 'dead;' with reference to the common myth of the death of the sun.   The etymology is accepted by Mahn and E. Müller; if right, the word is distinct from Wane, confusion with which has affected its sense.   See further under Win.   Der. wan-ly, wan-ness.