Where does “hed” come from?

hed (Middle English) comes from Old English hād, from Proto-West Germanic *haidu, from Proto-Germanic haiduz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kayt-.

hed (Middle English): Alternative form of heed; animal or human head

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of heed; animal or human head

Ancestry of “hed”, step by step

hed traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English hād

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhādperson, individual, character, individuality;...
2Proto-West Germanic*haidu
3Proto-Germanichaiduzmanner, way; personality, character; appearance
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kayt-

via Old English hēafod

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhēafodhead; top; source, origin; chief, leader;...
2Proto-Germanichaubudąhead
3Proto-Indo-Europeankáput-head

Words derived from “hed

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kayt-Every word from Proto-Germanic haiduzEvery word from Proto-West Germanic *haidu