Etymograph

English

harness

Harness comes from Anglo-Norman harneis, from Old Norse herr ‘army’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *nes- ‘to return home’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*nes-‘to return home’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*nésetor‘to return home’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*nesaną‘to heal, recover’reconstructed
  4. Old Norsec. 800–1350herr‘army’
  5. Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350*hernestreconstructed
  6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400harneis
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500harneys‘Weaponry’
  8. Englishearliest quotation c. 1606harness

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*nes-‘to return home’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*nésetor‘to return home’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*nesaną‘to heal, recover’reconstructed
  4. Old Norsec. 800–1350herr‘army’
  5. Old Norse, derivedc. 800–1350*hernestreconstructed
  6. Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400harneis
  7. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500harneys‘Weaponry’
  8. Englishearliest quotation c. 1606harness

Earliest quotation: c. 1606, William Shakespeare, The Tragedie of Macbeth: “Ring the alarum-bell! Blow, wind! come, wrack! At least…”

The story

From Middle English harneys, harnes, harneis, harnais, herneis, from Anglo-Norman harneis and Old French hernois (‘equipment used in battle’), believed to be from Old Norse *hernest, from herr (‘army’) + nest (‘provisions’) (from Proto-Germanic *nesaną (‘to heal, recover’)).

Every English word from Proto-Indo-European *nes-

Today it means

noun A restraint or support, especially one consisting of a loop or network of rope or straps, and especially one worn by a working animal such as a horse pulling a carriage or farm implement.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *nes- / harness

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