Where does “hoar” come from?

Hoar derives from Middle English hore, from Middle English her, which continues Proto-Indo-European kāro-, ultimately from the root (s)ker-.

hoar (English): A white or greyish-white colour; Hoariness;...

Definitions

  1. A white or greyish-white colour; Hoariness;...

Ancestry of “hoar”, step by step

hoar traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English hor

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishhorAlternative form of her; Grey, greyish,...
2Old Englishhērat this place
3Proto-West Germanic*hērhere
4Proto-Germanichē₂rhere, in this place
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
6Middle Englishkyt
7Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
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,...

via Old English ōra

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishōraore, unwrought metal
2Old Englishēarsea, ocean; grave, earth
3Proto-Germanicahazear
4Proto-Finnicahtasnarrow, cramped
5Proto-Balticanśtas
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂énǵʰusnarrow, tight
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂enǵʰ-to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...

Words derived from “hoar

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-