Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hidden” come from?

Hidden derives from Middle English hiden, from Old English hȳdan, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kew-, meaning to cover or conceal.

hidden (English): past participle of hide; Located or positioned...

Definitions

  1. past participle of hide; Located or positioned...

Ancestry of “hidden”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhideTo put in a place where it will be harder to...
2Middle Englishhidehide; concealment; hiding spot
3Middle Englishhidento conceal, hide; to cover up, wrap up, surround;...
4Old Englishhȳdanto hide, conceal, preserve; to conceal; hide
5Proto-Germanichūdijanąto hide, conceal
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kewdʰ-to cover, encase; to hide, conceal; to cover,...
7Proto-Indo-European(s)kew-to caw, to howl; to cover, hide; to cover, hide,...

Words derived from “hidden”

  • hiddenness
  • hiddenly
  • hiddenmost
  • semihidden
  • nonhidden
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kew- →