Where does “hough” come from?

Hough comes from Middle English ho, Old English hū, Proto-Germanic hwaz, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European roots including ḱe-, kewh₂-, kewk-, and kew-.

hough (English): The hollow behind the knee; To hamstring;...

Definitions

  1. The hollow behind the knee; To hamstring;...

Ancestry of “hough”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishhoughThe heel rear of a foot
2Old Englishhōhheel, hough; hill spur, promontory; promontory
3Proto-West Germanic*hą̄hheel
4Proto-Germanichanhazheel
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱenk-to hang

Words derived from “hough

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱenk-
hough — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer