Where does “houngan” come from?

houngan (English) comes from Haitian Creole oungan, from Middle English houn, from Old Norse húnn, from Proto-Germanic hūnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱūnós, from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- — to swell; to be strong.

houngan (English): A (male) voodoo priest

Definitions

  1. A (male) voodoo priest

Ancestry of “houngan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Haitian Creoleounganpriest, magician
2Middle Englishhoun—
3Old Norsehúnna bear cub; urchin; knob atop a mast-head
4Proto-Germanichūnazsomething swollen; a swelling; piece of wood;...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱūnósswollen
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewh₁-to swell; to be strong
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱūnós →Every word from Proto-Germanic hūnaz →