Where does “Harvard” come from?
Harvard (Portuguese) comes from English Harvard, from Middle English Herward, from Old English Hereweard, from Old English weard, from Old English ōra, from Old English ēar, from Proto-Germanic ahaz, from Proto-Finnic ahtas — to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;...
Ancestry of “Harvard”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | Harvard | — |
| 2 | Middle English | Herward | — |
| 3 | Old English | Hereweard | — |
| 4 | Old English | weard | guard; guard, the action of looking out for... |
| 5 | Old English | ōra | ore, unwrought metal |
| 6 | Old English | ēar | sea, ocean; grave, earth |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | ahaz | ear |
| 8 | Proto-Finnic | ahtas | narrow, cramped |
| 9 | Proto-Baltic | anśtas | — |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂énǵʰus | narrow, tight |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂enǵʰ- | to constrict, tighten, compress; narrow, tight;... |