Where does “highen” come from?
highen (Middle English) comes from Old English hīgian, from Proto-Germanic hīgōną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱēygʰ- — swift, fierce, violent.
Ancestry of “highen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | hīgian | to strive, hasten; to hie, hasten, strive |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hīgōną | to breathe; snort; pant; wheeze |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱēygʰ- | swift, fierce, violent |
Words derived from “highen”