Where does “houn” come from?
houn (Middle English) comes from Old Norse húnn, from Proto-Germanic hūnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱūnós, from Proto-Indo-European ḱewh₁- — to swell; to be strong.
Ancestry of “houn”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | húnn | a bear cub; urchin; knob atop a mast-head |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hūnaz | something swollen; a swelling; piece of wood;... |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱūnós | swollen |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱewh₁- | to swell; to be strong |