Where does “hayfre” come from?

hayfre (Middle English) comes from Old English heahfore, from Old English heah, from Proto-West Germanic hauh, from Proto-Germanic hauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk- — flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten.

Ancestry of “hayfre”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishheahforeheifer
2Old Englishheahhigh, tall; exalted, illustrious, important;...
3Proto-West Germanichauhhigh
4Proto-Germanichauhazhigh
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewk-flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hauhaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic hauh →
hayfre — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer