Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hauntingness” come from?

hauntingness (English) comes from English haunting, from English haunt, from Middle English haunten, from Old French hanter, from Old English hāmettan, from Old English hām, from Proto-West Germanic haim, from Proto-Germanic haimaz — to be lying down; to settle.

hauntingness (English): The state or condition of being haunting

Definitions

  1. The state or condition of being haunting

Ancestry of “hauntingness”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishhauntingpresent participle of haunt; Remaining in the...
2EnglishhauntTo inhabit, or visit frequently; To make uneasy,...
3Middle Englishhauntento reside, inhabit, use, employ
4Old Frenchhanterto frequent, abide in one place; to frequent...
5Old Englishhāmettanto bring home; provide a home for; house; to...
6Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
7Proto-West Germanichaimhome
8Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →