Where does “huff” come from?
Huff derives from Middle English huffen, from Old English hūffian, from Proto-Germanic huffjan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to blow or swell.
huff (English): A heavy breath; a grunt or sigh; An expression of...
Definitions
- A heavy breath; a grunt or sigh; An expression of...
Ancestry of “huff”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | hough | The hollow behind the knee; To hamstring;... |
| 2 | Middle English | hough | — |
| 3 | Old English | hōh | heel, hough; hill spur, promontory; promontory |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *hą̄h | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hanhaz | heel |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱenk- | to hang |
Words derived from “huff”