The word 'wretch' originates from the Old English 'wrecca', meaning an exile or outcast. This term is connected to the verb 'wrecan', which meant to drive out or punish, reflecting the social expulsion and misery associated with exile. Over time, the sense evolved from a specific social status (an exile) to describe anyone in a state of deep misfortune or misery. Finally, it acquired a moral dimension, coming to denote a person considered vile or contemptible, thus completing the journey from external circumstance to inherent character.

The word is a simplex. It derives from the Old English 'wrecca', meaning an exile, a stranger, a wretch, which is related to the Old English verb 'wrecan' (to drive, punish, avenge). Its functional role is as a complete lexical root.