Where does “hairdressing” come from?

Hairdressing derives from English hair combined with dressing, where hair comes from Middle English her, from Anglo-Norman eir, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European keres-.

hairdressing (English): The washing, colouring, cutting and styling of...

Definitions

  1. The washing, colouring, cutting and styling of...

Ancestry of “hairdressing”, step by step

hairdressing traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Hair

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHairA pigmented filament of keratin which grows from a follicle on the skin of humans and other mammals
2Middle Englishhēra hair
3Old Englishhērat this place
4Proto-West Germanic*hērhere
5Proto-Germanichē₂rhere, in this place
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
7Middle Englishkyt
8Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
9Old High Germankuti
10Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
11Proto-Germanickweduzresin
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
13Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via English dressing

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdressingMaterial applied to a wound for protection or...
2Middle Englishdressyngecontrol, dominion
3Middle EnglishdressenTo direct or aim oneself
4Old Frenchdrecierto stand up; to get on one's feet
5Vulgar Latindirectiare
6Latindīrectuslaid straight, arranged in lines, having been arranged in lines
7Latindīrigōto lay straight; arrange in lines (especially in military contexts)
8Latindis-asunder, apart, in two; reversal, removal;...
9Latincalceusshoe
10Latincalxlimestone; chalk; the finish line
11Ancient Greekχάλιξsmall stone, pebble; gravel, rubble
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz