Where does “hýggj” come from?
hýggj (Faroese) comes from Old Norse hý, from Proto-Germanic hiwją, from Proto-Indo-European ḱew-, from Proto-Indo-European gʷṓws — cattle.
hýggj (Faroese): mold
Ancestry of “hýggj”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | hý | plant down; hair; feathers |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hiwją | appearance, blee; form, shape; mold, mildew |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱew- | skin, colour of the skin; to shine; bright; to... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷṓws | cattle |