Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “here” come from?

Here comes from Middle English her, Old English hǣr, Anglo-Norman eir, and Proto-Indo-European roots including keres-, ḱe-, (s)ker-, ker-, and (s)ker-.

here (English): In, on, or at this place; To this place; used in...

Definitions

  1. In, on, or at this place; To this place; used in...

Ancestry of “here”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishhera hair; hair; pelt, hide, animal skin
2Old Englishhērat this place
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 “here”

  • hereby
  • herein
  • hereinafter
  • hereabouts
  • hereunder
  • hereinbefore
  • hereunto
  • hereupon
  • hereabout
  • hereon
  • herefrom
  • hereinabove
  • hereaway
  • hyah
  • hereat
  • hereness
  • hereinbelow
  • hereabove
  • herewithin
  • hereinto
  • hereinunder
  • hereout
  • hership
  • herehence
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →