English

headhunt

Back-formation from headhunter.

A compound of head + hunt

Proto-Indo-European *kap- ‘head’

…

Proto-Germanic *haubudą ‘head’

Proto-West Germanic *haubud

Old English hēafod ‘head’

Middle English heed ‘head’

English head

Proto-Germanic *huntōną ‘to hunt’

Proto-West Germanic *huntōn ‘to hunt’

Old English huntian ‘to hunt’

Middle English hunten ‘to hunt’

English hunt

Today it means

verb To cut off, and preserve, the heads of one's enemies.

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

Etymograph / headhunt