happen

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European*kob-
2. Proto-Germanic*hampą
3. Proto-Germanic*hampijaną
4. Old Norse*happader.?
5. Proto-Germanic*hampijaną
6. Old Norse*heppader.?
7. Old Englishhæppander.?
8. Middle Englishhappen
9. Middle Englishhappenen
10. English todayhappen

From Middle English happenen, hapnen, augmented from Middle English happen (“to come to pass, happen”), perhaps from Old English hæppan (“to move accidentally, slip”) and/or from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (“to fit in, be fitting”). Equivalent to hap (“a chance, occurrence, byfall”) + -en (verbal suffix).

Words from the same roots