Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “redhead” come from?

Redhead derives from English red and English head, tracing through Proto-Germanic raudaz meaning reddish and Proto-Indo-European kret- relating to color or appearance.

redhead (English): A person with red hair; A North American duck ...

Definitions

  1. A person with red hair; A North American duck ...

Ancestry of “redhead”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishRedA Communist; A supporter of a sports team who...
2EnglishredeHelp, advice, counsel; Decision, a plan; To...
3Middle Englishredento counsel, advise; to study; to read
4Old Englishrǣdanto read, interpret; to counsel, advise; plot,...
5Proto-West Germanicrādanto advise, counsel, help; to devise, decide,...
6Proto-Germanicrēdanąto decide, advise
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanHreh₁dʰ-to think; to arrange; to succeed, accomplish
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂reh₁-to think, reason; to arrange
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂er-to fit, to fix, to put together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂er- →