English
hawser
Hawser comes from Anglo-Norman haucer, from Vulgar Latin *altiāre ‘to raise’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘grow, nourish’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eltósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*altosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaltus‘high’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*altiāre‘to raise’reconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400haucer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hauser
- Englishearliest quotation 1881–1882hawser
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘grow, nourish’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eltósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*altosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaltus‘high’
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*altiāre‘to raise’reconstructed
- Anglo-Normanc. 1066–1400haucer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hauser
- Englishearliest quotation 1881–1882hawser
Earliest quotation: 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, The Ebb-tide Runs: “The hawser was as taut as a bowstring, and…”
The story
Altered in English by mistaken association with hawse and perhaps haul.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘grow, nourish’
as, all, else, adult, el, ultimate, element, alien, ultra, ellen, alternate, alumni, qualification, outrage, alter, ou, alpine, adolescent, abolish, alias, alum, alibi, retaliate, alimony, alp, proletariat, altruism, parallax, ulterior, coalesce, foetal, althea, aad, withal, 63 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eltós
old, elder, auld, eld, 13 more
through Latin altus ‘high’
altitude, alt, altar, alto, exalt, haughty, altimeter, haut, 12 more
Today it means
noun A thick or heavy-duty cable or rope used to tow or moor a ship.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / hawser