Where does “hamlet” come from?
hamlet (Middle English) comes from Old French hamelet, from Old French hamel, from Old French ham, from Frankish haim, from Proto-Germanic haimaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóymos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.
Ancestry of “hamlet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | hamelet | hamlet |
| 2 | Old French | hamel | hamlet |
| 3 | Old French | ham | village |
| 4 | Frankish | haim | village, home; home, village, hamlet; home,... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | haimaz | home; house; village |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱóymos | of the home, belonging to the family; village,... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱey- | to be lying down; to settle |
Words derived from “hamlet”