Where does “hammer” come from?
Hammer comes from Middle English hamer, from Old English hamor, from Proto-Germanic hamaraz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂eḱ-, a root meaning to strike.
hammer (English): A tool with a heavy head and a handle used for...
Definitions
- A tool with a heavy head and a handle used for...
Ancestry of “hammer”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | hamer | A hammer; A fierce individual; one with strong... |
| 2 | Old English | hamor | hammer |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *hamar | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hamaraz | hammer |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱmoros | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂éḱmō | stone |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eḱ- | sharp |
Words derived from “hammer”