Where does “haven” come from?
haven (Middle High German) comes from Old High German hafan, from Welsh hafn, from Old English hæfen, from Old Norse hǫfn, from Proto-Germanic habnō, from Proto-Indo-European kopno-.
Ancestry of “haven”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | hafan | pot |
| 2 | Welsh | hafn | — |
| 3 | Old English | hæfen | inlet; harbour, port |
| 4 | Old Norse | hǫfn | port, harbor, haven |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | habnō | harbour, haven; harvour, haven |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kopno- | — |