Where does “henchboy” come from?
henchboy (English) comes from English henchman, from Middle English henxman, from Old English hengestmann, from Old English mann, from Proto-West Germanic mann, from Proto-Germanic *mann-, from Proto-Indo-European men- — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
henchboy (English): A follower; footman; page; a servant; A young...
Definitions
- A follower; footman; page; a servant; A young...
Ancestry of “henchboy”, step by step
henchboy traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English henchman
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | henchman | A loyal and trusted follower or subordinate; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | henxman | a groom, page, attendant |
| 3 | Old English | hengestmann | groom |
| 4 | Old English | mann | person; man meaning mankind; man meaning adult... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | mann | person, human |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | *mann- | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |
via English boy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | boy | A young male; A male child: a son of any age; A... |
| 2 | Middle English | boye | servant, commoner, knave, boy |
| 3 | Old English | bōia | boy |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bōjô | younger brother, young male relation |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | bō- | A stem meaning "father, brother, close male... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰā- | to say |