English
harping iron
Harping iron comes from French harper ‘to grasp strongly’, and goes back to Old High German harfan.
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050harfan
- Frenchc. 1600–presentharper‘to grasp strongly’
- Englishearliest quotation 1658harping iron
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050harfan
- Frenchc. 1600–presentharper‘to grasp strongly’
- Englishearliest quotation 1658harping iron
Earliest quotation: 1658, [Diary entry for June 3 1658]: “it [a whale] was killed with a harping iron…”
Every English word from Old High German harfan
Today it means
noun A harpoon.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old High German harfan / harping iron