Where does “hurt” come from?
hurt (Middle High German) comes from Frankish hurd, from English herd, from Dutch hert, from Middle Dutch hert, from Old Dutch herth, from Proto-West Germanic herþ, from Proto-Germanic herþaz, from Proto-Indo-European kérh₃-to-s — to burn; to praise; to burn; fire, heat.
Ancestry of “hurt”, step by step
hurt traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Frankish hurd
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Frankish | hurd | — |
| 2 | English | herd | A number of domestic animals assembled together... |
| 3 | Dutch | hert | A deer, a ruminant of the family Cervidae; may... |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | hert | deer; hearth, fireplace |
| 5 | Old Dutch | herth | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | herþ | hearth, fireplace |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | herþaz | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kérh₃-to-s | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | kerh₃- | to burn; to praise; to burn; fire, heat |
via Old French hurt
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | hurt | — |