Etymograph

English

harbinge

Harbinge comes from Middle English herbergen ‘to lodge’, from herberjour ‘a person sent in advance (of an army) to…’, and ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu.

  1. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*harjabergu‘shelter, army camp, barracks’reconstructed
  2. Old High Germanc. 750–1050heribergan
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400herbergier‘to set up camp’
  4. Old French, derivedc. 842–1400herbergeor‘innkeeper’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500herberjour‘a person sent in advance (of an army) to arrange lodgings’
  6. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500herbergen‘to lodge’
  7. Englishtodayharbinge

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*harjabergu‘shelter, army camp, barracks’reconstructed
  2. Old High Germanc. 750–1050heribergan
  3. Old Frenchc. 842–1400herbergier‘to set up camp’
  4. Old French, derivedc. 842–1400herbergeor‘innkeeper’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500herberjour‘a person sent in advance (of an army) to arrange lodgings’
  6. Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500herbergen‘to lodge’
  7. Englishtodayharbinge

Linked words

through Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu ‘shelter, army camp, barracks’

harbor, 2 more

Today it means

verb To lodge, stay.

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

Etymograph / Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu / harbinge