Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “highlight” come from?

Highlight derives from English high and light, with light tracing to Old English lēoht, Proto-Germanic liuhtijaną, and Proto-Indo-European lewk-, meaning to shine or be bright.

highlight (English): An area or a spot in a drawing, painting, or...

Definitions

  1. An area or a spot in a drawing, painting, or...

Ancestry of “highlight”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhighElevated, extending above a base or average...
2Middle Englishheighhigh; Alternative form of hey; Alternative form...
3Old Englishhēahhigh, tall, lofty, high-class, exalted, sublime,...
4Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
5Proto-West Germanichaimhome
6Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle

Words derived from “highlight”

  • highlighted
  • highlighter
  • nonhighlighted
  • unhighlight
  • highlightable
  • dehighlight
  • Highlight
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →