Where does “harbinger” come from?
Harbinger comes from Middle English herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor, from Frankish heriberga, from Proto-Germanic harjaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ker-.
harbinger (English): A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells...
Definitions
- A person or thing that foreshadows or foretells...
Ancestry of “harbinger”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | herberjour | A host; one who provides accommodation or hospitality |
| 2 | Old French | herbergeor | innkeeper |
| 3 | Old French | herbergier | to set up camp; to shelter; to take shelter |
| 4 | Old High German | heribergan | — |
| 5 | Old High German | heri | army |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *hari | — |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | harjaz | army; army leader; commander; warrior |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kóryos | war; troops; army; war, troops |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱer- | to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | kr̥- | to turn, to bend |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ker- | army |