Where does “harness” come from?

Harness comes from Middle English harneis, from Old French hernois, from Old English hærn, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ker-.

harness (English): A restraint or support, especially one consisting...

Definitions

  1. A restraint or support, especially one consisting...

Ancestry of “harness”, step by step

harness traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via French harnais

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchharnaisharness
2Old Frenchhernoisequipment for battle
3Old Norsehernest—
4Old Norseherrcrowd, great number; host; army, host, troops
5Proto-Norseᚺᚨᚱᛃᚨarmy leader; commander; warrior
6Proto-Germanicharjazarmy; army leader; commander; warrior
7Proto-Indo-Europeankóryoswar; troops; army; war, troops
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
10Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

via Middle English harneys

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishharneysarmaments; the tools of war; arms and protection;...
2Anglo-NormanharneisAlternative form of hernois

Words derived from “harness”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →