Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “harvest” come from?

Harvest comes from Middle English hervest, from Old English hærfest, which derives from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- meaning to cut or separate.

harvest (English): The third season of the year; autumn; fall; The...

Definitions

  1. The third season of the year; autumn; fall; The...

Ancestry of “harvest”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishharvest—
2Old Englishhærfestharvest; autumn
3Proto-West Germanicharbistharvest
4Proto-Germanicharbistazharvest; autumn, fall
5Proto-Germanicharbaz—
6Proto-Indo-Europeankerp-to pluck, harvest
7Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth

Words derived from “harvest”

  • harvester
  • postharvest
  • harvestable
  • preharvest
  • overharvest
  • harvestman
  • harvestless
  • harvestability
  • unharvestable
  • nonharvest
  • harvestry
  • nonharvestable
  • preharvested
  • midharvest
  • harvestfish
  • harvesteth
  • superharvest
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ḱer- →