Where does “hiwfæst” come from?

hiwfæst (Old English) comes from Old English hīw, from Proto-Germanic hīwą, from Proto-Indo-European ḱeyw-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.

hiwfæst (Old English): beautiful, fair

Definitions

  1. beautiful, fair

Ancestry of “hiwfæst”, step by step

hiwfæst traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English hīw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhīwmarriage; form, appearance
2Proto-Germanichīwąmarriage
3Proto-Indo-Europeanḱeyw-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle

via Old English fæst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfæstfirm, stable; constant
2Proto-West Germanicfastfixed, fast
3Proto-Germanicfastuzfixed, firm, secure
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱeyw- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hīwą →