Where does “hige” come from?
hige (Middle English) comes from Old English hyġe, from Proto-West Germanic hugi, from Proto-Germanic hugiz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱk-í-s ~ ḱk-éy-s, from Proto-Indo-European ḱek- — to be able, capable.
Ancestry of “hige”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | hyġe | thought, mind, heart, disposition, intention,... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | hugi | thought, understanding |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hugiz | mind, thought, sense, understanding |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱk-í-s ~ ḱk-éy-s | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱek- | to be able, capable |