Where does “hoof” come from?

hoof (Middle English) comes from Old English hōf, from Proto-West Germanic *hōf, from Proto-Germanic hufą, from Proto-Indo-European keup-, from Proto-Indo-European keu- — bend; vault, hole; to shine; light; bright.

Ancestry of “hoof”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhōfcourt, hall
2Proto-West Germanic*hōf—
3Proto-Germanichufąhill, elevated place; house, hall, estate
4Proto-Indo-Europeankeup-to arch, bend, buckle; a hollow
5Proto-Indo-Europeankeu-bend; vault, hole; to shine; light; bright
Every word from Proto-Indo-European keu- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European keup- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hufą →