Where does “harridan” come from?
harridan (English) comes from French haridelle, from Old French harer, from Old French hare, from Frankish hara, from Proto-Germanic hē₂r, from Proto-Indo-European ḱe, from Middle English kyt, from German kitt — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...
harridan (English): A vicious and scolding woman, especially an older...
Definitions
- A vicious and scolding woman, especially an older...
Ancestry of “harridan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | French | haridelle | nag |
| 2 | Old French | harer | to stir up, provoke, set a dog on |
| 3 | Old French | hare | — |
| 4 | Frankish | hara | here; hither; here, hither |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hē₂r | here, in this place |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱe | Deictic particle, here; Post-positional... |
| 7 | Middle English | kyt | — |
| 8 | German | kitt | — |
| 9 | Old High German | kuti | — |
| 10 | Proto-West Germanic | kwidu | gum, resin |
| 11 | Proto-Germanic | kweduz | resin |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷet- | resin, gum; to say, speak |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | gū- | to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,... |