Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hear” come from?

Hear comes from Middle English heren, from Middle English here, from Proto-Germanic hauzijaną, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ḱh₂owsyéti, which is derived from the root h₂eḱ-.

hear (English): To perceive sounds through the ear; To perceive ...

Definitions

  1. To perceive sounds through the ear; To perceive ...

Ancestry of “hear”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanhier—
2Old High Germanhier—
3Proto-West Germanic*hēr—
4Proto-Germanichē₂rhere, in this place
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
6Middle Englishkyt—
7Germankitt—
8Old High Germankuti—
9Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
10Proto-Germanickweduzresin
11Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
12Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “hear”

  • rehear
  • hearable
  • unhearable
  • unhear
  • hearie
  • hearability
  • behear
  • forehear
  • outhear
  • harim
  • yere
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →