English
hear
Hear comes from Old English hēran ‘to hear’, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti ‘to be sharp-eared’, and ultimately from *h₂eḱ-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ḱh₂owsyéti‘to be sharp-eared’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hauzijaną‘to hear’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hauʀijan‘to hear’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hēran‘to hear’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500har
- Englishearliest quotation 1526hear
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-‘sharp’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ḱh₂owsyéti‘to be sharp-eared’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hauzijaną‘to hear’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*hauʀijan‘to hear’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hēran‘to hear’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500har
- Englishearliest quotation 1526hear
Earliest quotation: 1526, [William Tyndale, The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible): “Agayne there was dissencion amonge the iewes for these…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’
edge, egg, acid, hammer, acute, axe, eager, acne, oxide, mediocre, ear, vinegar, acetate, mediocrity, acupuncture, acacia, exacerbate, acumen, acme, acuity, paragon, acyl, acrid, acrimony, acerbic, exacerbation, roselle, rosacea, 72 more
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ḱh₂owsyéti ‘to be sharp-eared’
through Proto-Germanic *hauzijaną ‘to hear’
Today it means
verb To perceive sounds through the ear.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- / hear