Where does “handfast” come from?
handfast (English) comes from German Handfest, from German hand, from Middle High German hant, from Old High German hant, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd — hand.
handfast (English): A hold, grasp; custody, power of confining or...
Definitions
- A hold, grasp; custody, power of confining or...
Ancestry of “handfast”, step by step
handfast traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Handfest
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Handfest | tangible, solid |
| 2 | German | hand | hand |
| 3 | Middle High German | hant | hand |
| 4 | Old High German | hant | hand |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | handu | hand |
| 6 | Swedish | hand | A hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player |
| 7 | Old Swedish | hand | A hand; A direction; A behalf |
| 8 | Old Norse | hǫnd | hand |
| 9 | Proto-Germanic | handuz | hand |