Where does “herd” come from?
herd (Middle Low German) comes from Old Saxon heorþ, from Proto-West Germanic herþ, from Proto-Germanic herþaz, from Proto-Indo-European kérh₃-to-s, from Proto-Indo-European kerh₃- — to burn; to praise; to burn; fire, heat.
Ancestry of “herd”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Saxon | heorþ | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | herþ | hearth, fireplace |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | herþaz | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kérh₃-to-s | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | kerh₃- | to burn; to praise; to burn; fire, heat |