Where does “hay” come from?
hay (Middle French) comes from Middle French hayr, from Old French haïr, from Proto-West Germanic hattjan, from Proto-Germanic hatjaną, from Proto-Germanic hataz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱeh₂d- — hatred, angriness; strong emotion.
hay (Middle French): first-person singular present indicative of hayr
Definitions
- first-person singular present indicative of hayr
Ancestry of “hay”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle French | hayr | to hate |
| 2 | Old French | haïr | Alternative form of hair; to hate |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hattjan | to hunt down, to pursue |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hatjaną | to hunt down, pursue; to rush, incite, attack |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hataz | hate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱeh₂d- | hatred, angriness; strong emotion |