Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Here” come from?

Here (English) comes from Middle English hēr, from Old English hēr, from Proto-West Germanic *hēr, from Proto-Germanic hē₂r, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe, from Middle English kyt, from German kitt, from Old High German kuti — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Ancestry of “Here”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishhēr—
2Old Englishhērat this place
3Proto-West Germanic*hēr—
4Proto-Germanichē₂rhere, in this place
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
6Middle Englishkyt—
7Germankitt—
8Old High Germankuti—
9Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
10Proto-Germanickweduzresin
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
12Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
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