Where does “herden” come from?
herden (Middle English) comes from Middle English herde, from Old English hierde, from Proto-West Germanic hirdī, from Proto-Germanic hirdijaz, from Proto-Germanic herdō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱerdʰ- — herd, row; file, row, herd.
Ancestry of “herden”, step by step
herden traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English herde
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | herde | herd group of domesticated animals |
| 2 | Old English | hierde | herdsman; guardian, keeper, protector |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hirdī | herdsman, herder |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hirdijaz | herder, herdsman |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | herdō | herd |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱerdʰ- | herd, row; file, row, herd |