Where does “hanger” come from?

Hanger comes from Middle English hanger, likely from a word meaning to hang or something that hangs, though the ultimate origin remains uncertain.

hanger (English): One who hangs, or causes to be hanged; a hangman,...

Definitions

  1. One who hangs, or causes to be hanged; a hangman,...

Ancestry of “hanger”, step by step

hanger traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via English Hang

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHangName and trademark of a musical instrument...
2EnglishdangDamn; A damn, a negligible quantity, minimal...
3EnglishdamnTo condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
4Middle Englishdampnento damn
5Old Frenchdampnerto damn
6Latindamnōto discredit, find fault, disapprove, reject
7Latindamnumdamage or injury; loss; a fine
8Proto-Italicdapnom
9Proto-Indo-Europeandh₂pnómexpense, investment
10Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂p-to sacrifice; to lose
11Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide

via English hunger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhungerA need or compelling desire for food; Any strong...
2Middle EnglishhungerHungriness; the feeling of being hungry or...
3Old Englishhungorhunger; famine
4Proto-West Germanichungrhunger
5Proto-Germanichungruzhunger
6Proto-GermanichunhruzAlternative form of *hungruz
7Proto-Indo-Europeankenk-to burn, dry, pain, desire, hunger, thirst; to...

via English anger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishangerA strong feeling of displeasure, hostility or...
2Middle EnglishangerGrief, painfulness, or discomfort; a feeling of...
3Old Norseangrsorrow, resentment, distress; repentance;...
4Proto-Germanicangazazworry, grief, anxiety
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enǵʰosnarrowness
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enǵʰ-to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

Words derived from “hanger

Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂-