Where does “har” come from?

Har is a Middle English word of obscure origin, possibly derived from Middle English harre or here, which trace back through Old English here to Proto-Indo-European roots kas-, (s)ker-, and ker-.

har (English): A hinge; A sound of laughter, with a sarcastic...

Definitions

  1. A hinge; A sound of laughter, with a sarcastic...

Ancestry of “har”, step by step

har traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English herre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishherrehinge; lord, chief, master; Alternative form of...
2Middle Dutchhêrelord
3Old Dutchhēro—
4Old High Germanhēriro—
5Proto-Germanichairazgrey; aged; old; lofty; distinguished
6Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱeh₃-darkness, shadow

via Middle English harre

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishharreA hinge; Alternative form of hare
2Old Englishheorrahinge, door hinge
3Proto-Germanicherzôhinge, door-hinge
4Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱerd-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱeh₃- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hairaz →Every word from Old High German hēriro →