Where does “hi” come from?

hi (Danish) comes from Norwegian hi, from Old Norse hið — a lair, den, esp. of a bear.

hi (Danish): winter quarters, winter lair (for hibernation); hibernation used literally or figuratively

Definitions

  1. winter quarters, winter lair (for hibernation); hibernation used literally or figuratively

Ancestry of “hi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegianhi—
2Old Norsehiða lair, den, esp. of a bear
Every word from Old Norse hið →Every word from Norwegian hi →