Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “haphazard” come from?

Haphazard derives from English hap combined with hazard, which comes from Old French hasart, ultimately traced to Arabic origins related to chance and fortune in gaming contexts.

haphazard (English): Random; chaotic; incomplete; not thorough,...

Definitions

  1. Random; chaotic; incomplete; not thorough,...

Ancestry of “haphazard”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhazardThe chance of suffering harm; danger, peril, risk...
2Middle Englishhasardhazard; An individual who plays hazard; A crafty...
3Old Frenchhasarthazard; a score of six in a game of hazard; risk;...
4Arabicزهرto shine, to be radiant, to give light; flowers;...
5Arabicهhim, his, it, its; AH; Banū Ṭayyiʾ form of أَ
6Arabicكَهْرَبَاءelectricity
7Persianکهرباamber
8Persianکاهchaff; straw; hay
9Persianکاستن—
10Proto-Iraniankas-to be small, diminish, lessen
11Proto-Indo-Europeankʷeḱ-to see; to look

Words derived from “haphazard”

  • haphazardly
  • haphazardness
  • haphazardous
  • haphazardry
  • haphazardously
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷeḱ- →