Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “hæf” come from?

hæf (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic habbjō, from Proto-West Germanic habbjan, from Proto-Germanic habjaną, from Proto-Indo-European kh₂pyé-, from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- — to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...

hæf (Old English): yeast; sea; water

Definitions

  1. yeast; sea; water

Ancestry of “hæf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanichabbjōbarm, yeast
2Proto-West Germanichabbjanto have; to lift
3Proto-Germanichabjanąto have, to hold; to lift, heave
4Proto-Indo-Europeankh₂pyé-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂p-to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European keh₂p- →