Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “hoary” come from?

Hoary comes from Middle English -y, Middle French -ie, Latin -ia, Latin -ivus, Latin -ia, Proto-Indo-European -kos, and Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-.

hoary (English): White, whitish, or greyish-white; White or grey...

Definitions

  1. White, whitish, or greyish-white; White or grey...

Ancestry of “hoary”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhoarA white or greyish-white colour; Hoariness;...
2Middle EnglishhorAlternative form of her; Grey, greyish,...
3Old Englishhērat this place
4Proto-West Germanic*hēr—
5Proto-Germanichē₂rhere, in this place
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
7Middle Englishkyt—
8Germankitt—
9Old High Germankuti—
10Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
11Proto-Germanickweduzresin
12Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
13Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “hoary”

  • hoarily
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →