Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Hick” come from?

Hick comes from English Richard, a shortening of the given name that became a generic term for a rural person.

Hick (English): pet form of Richard

Definitions

  1. pet form of Richard

Ancestry of “Hick”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRichard—
2Middle EnglishRycharde—
3Old FrenchRichard—
4Medieval LatinRichardus—
5FrankishRīkahard—
6Proto-GermanicRīkaharduzA male given name
7Proto-Germanicrīksking, ruler
8Proto-Celticrīxsking
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃rḗǵsking, ruler
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃reǵ-to straighten, to right oneself; right; just

Words derived from “Hick”

  • Higgs
  • Higginson
  • hiccup
  • hickock
  • Hickson
  • hick
  • Hickes
  • Hickling
  • Hixon
  • Higson
  • Hicklin
  • Icke
  • Hicken
  • Higgitt
  • Higgin
  • Hickin
  • Hicking
  • Higgsino
  • hiccupy
  • Higgon
  • hickish
  • hiccuplike
  • Higgson
  • Higgs field
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃reǵ- →