Where does “hough” come from?
hough (Middle English) comes from Old English hōh, from Proto-West Germanic *hą̄h, from Proto-Germanic hanhaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱenk- — to hang.
Ancestry of “hough”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | hōh | heel, hough; hill spur, promontory; promontory |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *hą̄h | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hanhaz | heel |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱenk- | to hang |