Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “overhand” come from?

Overhand comes from Middle English overhond, from Old English ofer- combined with hond, ultimately from Proto-Germanic hundą and Proto-Indo-European ḱwṓ meaning hand or grasp.

overhand (English): Executed with the hand brought forward and down...

Definitions

  1. Executed with the hand brought forward and down...

Ancestry of “overhand”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishOver-—
2EnglishoverDiscontinued; ended or concluded; Thoroughly;...
3Middle Englishoverriverbank, seashore, brink
4Old Englishōferriverbank, seashore, brink, edge, margin, border
5Proto-West Germanicobarover, above
6Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
8Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp- →