Etymograph

English

Hever

Hever comes from Old English hēah ‘high’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *kewk- ‘to elevate’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kewk-‘to elevate’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kówk-o-sreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hauhaz‘high’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hauh‘high’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150hēah‘high’
  6. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150Heanyfre
  7. EnglishtodayHever

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*kewk-‘to elevate’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*kówk-o-sreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hauhaz‘high’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hauh‘high’reconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150hēah‘high’
  6. Old English, derivedc. 450–1150Heanyfre
  7. EnglishtodayHever

The story

For the place in England: 'The settlement at the high ridge', from Old English Heanyfre, from hēah (‘high’), in the oblique case hēan + *ȳfre (‘ridge’), or perhaps the Kentish dialectal variant *ēfre (see ōfer for more). In reference to the site being located atop a hill overlooking the valley of the river Eden.

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *kewk- ‘to elevate’

huge, haughty, 6 more

through Proto-Germanic *hauhaz ‘high’

height, 4 more

through Proto-West Germanic *hauh ‘high’

highly, 2 more

through Old English hēah ‘high’

high, 2 more

Today it means

name A village and civil parish in Sevenoaks district, Kent, England, the location of Hever Castle (OS grid ref TQ4744).

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kewk- / Hever

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