English
hurrah
Hurrah may come from German hurra ‘hooray’.
- Germanc. 1650–presenthurra‘hooray’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1999hurrah
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Germanc. 1650–presenthurra‘hooray’uncertain
- Englishearliest quotation 1999hurrah
Earliest quotation: 1999, Anthony Horowitz et al., Death's Shadow: “Oh, she's speaking to me! Hurrah.”
The story
Possibly adopted from German hurra, itself of uncertain origin, or possibly an alteration of huzzah.uncertain The source flags this step as uncertain.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’
course, career, charge, current, carry, rush, occur, cargo, carrier, currency, curriculum, corridor, carriage, courier, chariot, precursor, carousel, incur, caricature, concur, cursor, corsair, recursive, corral, recursion, recur, courant, succour, hussar, carrack, 43 more
through Proto-Germanic *hurzaną ‘to rush’
Today it means
intj Expressing approval, appreciation, or happiness.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / German hurra / hurrah