Where does “ham” come from?
ham (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch hamme, from Old Dutch *hama, from Proto-Germanic hammō, from Proto-Indo-European kónh₂m — leg.
ham (Dutch): ham
Ancestry of “ham”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | hamme | — |
| 2 | Old Dutch | *hama | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hammō | shinbone; the hollow of the knee; ham |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kónh₂m | leg |