Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hair” come from?

Hair comes from Middle English her, from Old English hǣr, from Anglo-Norman eir, tracing back through Proto-Indo-European roots including ker- meaning to grow or extend.

hair (English): A pigmented filament of keratin which grows from...

Definitions

  1. A pigmented filament of keratin which grows from...

Ancestry of “hair”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishhera hair; hair; pelt, hide, animal skin
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,...

Words derived from “hair”

  • haircut
  • hairline
  • hairpin
  • hairless
  • hairstyle
  • hairdo
  • hairbrush
  • hairdressing
  • hairbreadth
  • maidenhair
  • haire
  • hairstylist
  • hairlike
  • crosshair
  • hairpiece
  • haircloth
  • hairdryer
  • hairsplitting
  • hairnet
  • hairstyling
  • hairsbreadth
  • hairball
  • haircutting
  • shorthair
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →