Where does “ham” come from?

ham (Middle English) comes from Old English hām, from Proto-West Germanic haim, from Proto-Germanic haimaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóymos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.

ham (Middle English): Alternative form of hem; Alternative form of hom;...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of hem; Alternative form of hom;...

Ancestry of “ham”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
2Proto-West Germanichaimhome
3Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle

Words derived from “ham”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →