English

hardpan

From hard + pan.

A compound of hard + pan

Proto-Germanic *harduz

Proto-West Germanic *hard(ī)

Old English heard ‘hard’

Middle English hard

English hard

Proto-Germanic *pannǭ

Proto-West Germanic *pannā

Old English panne ‘pan’

Middle English panne ‘pan’

English pan

Today it means

noun A distinct layer of soil that is largely impervious to water.

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