Where does “Ham” come from?

Ham comes from Hebrew חָם, a word of unknown etymological origin and meaning.

Ham (English): OS grid ref SX4657

Definitions

  1. OS grid ref SX4657

Ancestry of “Ham”, step by step

Ham traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English ham

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishhamAlternative form of hem; Alternative form of hom;...
2Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
3Proto-West Germanichaimhome
4Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle

via Dutch ham

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchhamham
2Middle Dutchhamme—
3Old Dutch*hama—
4Proto-Germanichammōshinbone; the hollow of the knee; ham
5Proto-Indo-Europeankónh₂mleg

via Hungarian hám

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Hungarianhámharness; epithelium
2Hungarianhámozto peel
3Proto-Uralickämähard, firm

Words derived from “Ham”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →