Where does “hooch” come from?

hooch (Pennsylvania German) comes from Rhine Franconian houch, from Middle High German hōch, from Old High German hōh, from Proto-West Germanic hauh, from Proto-Germanic hauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk- — flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten.

hooch (Pennsylvania German): high; tall

Definitions

  1. high; tall

Ancestry of “hooch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Rhine Franconianhouch—
2Middle High Germanhōch—
3Old High Germanhōhhigh, tall, elevated
4Proto-West Germanichauhhigh
5Proto-Germanichauhazhigh
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱewk-flare up, glow; white; to glow, burn, lighten
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱewk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hauhaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic hauh →