Where does “hogshead” come from?
hogshead (Middle English) comes from Middle English hog, from Old English hogg, from Old Norse hǫggva, from Proto-Germanic hawwaną, from Proto-Celtic sukkos, from Proto-Indo-European suH-, from Proto-Indo-European sewH-, from Proto-Indo-European sew- — to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to...
Ancestry of “hogshead”, step by step
hogshead traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English hog
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | hog | A pig or swine, especially one that is castrated... |
| 2 | Old English | hogg | hog, especially a castrated male |
| 3 | Old Norse | hǫggva | to hew |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hawwaną | to hew, to chop; to forge |
| 5 | Proto-Celtic | sukkos | pig (snout) |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | suH- | pig, hog, swine |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sewH- | to bear; to give birth |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | sew- | to press out, extract; juice; liquid, rain; to... |