Where does “heifer” come from?

Heifer comes from Middle English hayfare, from Old English heahfore, combining Old English heah (high) and fearr (bull calf), from Proto-Germanic farzaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to produce or grow.

heifer (English): A young female cow, one over one year old but...

Definitions

  1. A young female cow, one over one year old but...

Ancestry of “heifer”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishheyfreA heifer young female cow
2Old Englishheahforeheifer
3Old Englishheahhigh, tall; exalted, illustrious, important;...
4Proto-West Germanichauhhigh
5Proto-Germanichauhazhigh
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewk-flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten

Words derived from “heifer”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hauhaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic hauh →