Where does “hark” come from?
Hark comes from Middle English herken, Old English hercian, Proto-Germanic hauzijaną, and Proto-Indo-European h₂ḱh₂owsyéti, ultimately from the root h₂eḱ- meaning to perceive or hear.
hark (English): To listen attentively; A whisper
Definitions
- To listen attentively; A whisper
Ancestry of “hark”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | herken | to listen attentively, take heed |
| 2 | Old English | hercian | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hauzakōną | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hauzijaną | to hear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ḱh₂owsyéti | to be sharp-eared, to hear well |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ṓws | ear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ew- | to enjoy; to consume; to perceive, see, to be... |