Etymology Explorer › Old French

Where does “heir” come from?

heir (Old French) comes from Latin hērēs, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁ro-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁- — to go, to walk.

Ancestry of “heir”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latinhērēs—
2Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeh₁ro-derelict; an abandoned or forsaken person
3Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeh₁-to go, to walk

Words derived from “heir”

  • here
  • hair
  • heir
  • hare
  • hereby
  • herein
  • hairy
  • Hare
  • whore
  • heiress
  • hereinafter
  • hoary
  • haircut
  • hoar
  • hereabouts
  • hereunder
  • hairline
  • hairpin
  • hereinbefore
  • hairless
  • hairstyle
  • hereunto
  • horsehair
  • hairdo
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁- →