Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “happen” come from?

Happen comes from Middle English happenen and happen, from Old Norse heppinn and happa, from Proto-Germanic hampijaną and -janą, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European kob- and -yeti.

happen (English): To occur or take place; To happen to; to befall;...

Definitions

  1. To occur or take place; To happen to; to befall;...

Ancestry of “happen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishhappento come to pass, happen; fortunate, happy
2Old Englishhæppanto move accidentally, slip
3Old Norsehappa—
4Proto-Germanichampijanąto fit in, be fitting; to occur, happen
5Proto-Germanic-janąDerives denominatives from nouns and factitives...
6Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-—
8Chichewaiyehe, she

Words derived from “happen”

  • happening
  • happeneth
  • unhappen
  • nonhappening
  • happenest
  • rehappen
  • happener
  • happenable
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