Where does “Heathrow” come from?
Heathrow (English) comes from Middle English rew, from Old English hrēow, from Proto-West Germanic hreuwu, from Proto-Germanic hrewwō, from Proto-Indo-European krew- — to fall, collapse; scab; to fall, break, bruise.
Ancestry of “Heathrow”, step by step
Heathrow traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English rew
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | rew | Alternative form of rewe; Alternative form of rue |
| 2 | Old English | hrēow | grief; grief”, “repentance; sorrow, regret,... |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hreuwu | regret |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hrewwō | pain, sadness, regret, repentance |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | krew- | to fall, collapse; scab; to fall, break, bruise |