harbinger

The story

1. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*harjabergu“army camp, shelter”
2. Old High German · derived fromheribergan
3. Old French · derived fromherbergeor
4. Middle English · inherited fromherberjour
5. English todayharbinger

Originally, a person sent in advance to arrange lodgings. From Middle English herberjour, herbergeour, from Old French herbergeor (French hébergeur), from herbergier (“to set up camp; to shelter; to take shelter”) + -or (suffix forming agent nouns), from Old High German heribergan, ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *harjabergu (“army camp, shelter”). Compare German Herberge, Italian albergo, Dutch herberg, English harbor. More at here, bury.

Words from the same roots