Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hawfinch” come from?

hawfinch (English) comes from English Haw, from Old English haga, from Old English wīc, from German witz, from Middle High German witz, from Old High German wizzi, from Proto-West Germanic wītī, from Proto-Germanic witją — to see.

hawfinch (English): A large Eurasian finch, "Coccothraustes...

Definitions

  1. A large Eurasian finch, "Coccothraustes...

Ancestry of “hawfinch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHaw—
2Old Englishhagaan enclosure, a fenced-in area, a yard
3Old Englishwīcdwelling place, abode; abode, dwelling-place;...
4Germanwitz—
5Middle High Germanwitz—
6Old High Germanwizzi—
7Proto-West Germanicwītīpunishment
8Proto-Germanicwitjąknowledge; reason; sense; understanding; wit
9Proto-Germanic*witaną—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanwóydeto have seen, to know
11Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →