Etymology

-head

Today it means: Used to create nouns indicating a state; -hood. Full definition →

Proto-Germanic *haiduz ← Proto-Indo-European *keyt-
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-head · suffix1

  1. Proto-Indo-European*keyt-
  2. Proto-Germanic*haiduz
  3. English today-head

From Middle English -hed, -hede, attested from the 12th century, continuing a hypothetical Old English *-hǣdu (“-hood”), from Proto-Germanic *haidį̄ (“state, condition”), related to Proto-Germanic *haiduz (“manner, character, quality, state”). Doublet of -hood, which see.

-head · suffix2

  1. Proto-Indo-European*kap-?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*kap-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*káput
  4. Proto-Germanic*haubudą
  5. Old Englishhēafod
  6. Middle Englishheed
  7. Englishhead
  8. English today-head

Combining form of head (noun).

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.