Etymology

4-H

Today it means: In the United States, a youth organization administered by the Cooperative Extension System of the United States Department of Agriculture with the mission of "engaging youth to reach their fullest potential while advancing the field of youth development." Full definition →

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The story

Derived from the four beginning letters of "Head, Heart, Hands, and Health", the organization's former motto. Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwṓr Proto-Germanic *fedwōr Proto-West Germanic *feuwar Old English fēower Middle English four English four substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *káput Proto-Germanic *haubudą Old English hēafod Middle English heed English head Proto-Germanic *handuz Proto-West Germanic *handu Old English hand Middle English hond English hand Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ms Proto-Indo-European *-omsder. Proto-Germanic *-anzder.? Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂m̥s Proto-Germanic *-ōz Proto-Germanic *-ōsder.? Old English -as Middle English -es English -s English hands Proto-Indo-European *ḱerd- Proto-Indo-European *ḱérd Proto-Germanic *hertô Proto-West Germanic *hertā Old English heorte Middle English herte English heart English 4-H

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.