Where does “harp” come from?

Harp comes from Middle English harpe, from Old English hearpe, from Proto-Germanic harpǭ, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreb-, which derives from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sek-, meaning to cut or scrape.

harp (English): A musical instrument consisting of a body and a...

Definitions

  1. A musical instrument consisting of a body and a...

Ancestry of “harp”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishharpeharp
2Old Englishhearpeharp
3Proto-Germanicharpǭharp
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kreb-to turn; to touch; to turn, bend, shrink, rotate,...
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

Words derived from “harp”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kreb- →