Where does “howk” come from?
howk (Scots) comes from Scots holk, from Middle English holken, from Middle English holk, from Old English holc, from Proto-Germanic hulkaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
howk (Scots): to dig; to dig out, uproot; to mine or quarry
Definitions
- to dig; to dig out, uproot; to mine or quarry
Ancestry of “howk”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Scots | holk | — |
| 2 | Middle English | holken | to dig, excavate |
| 3 | Middle English | holk | a hollow part, cavity |
| 4 | Old English | holc | hole, cavity |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hulkaz | cavity, hollow, recess; a hollow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |