havoc

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*habjaną“to take up, lift”
2. Frankish · derived from*haf
3. Old French · derived from*haf
4. Old French · derived fromcrier“cry out, shout”
5. Old French · derived fromhavok
6. Middle English · inherited fromhavok
7. English todayhavoc

From Middle English havok, havyk, from Old French havok in the phrase crier havok (“cry havoc”) a signal to soldiers to seize plunder, from Old French crier (“cry out, shout”) + havot (“pillaging, looting”), of obscure origin. Probably from a derivative of Old French *haf, hef (“hook”), from Frankish *haf, *habbjā, *happjā (“pruning-hook, scythe”), derived from Proto-Germanic *habjaną (“to take up, lift”), related to Old French havee (“handful”), Old French havet (“pruning-hook”), Old High German habba, heppa (“pruning-hook, scythe”), modern German Hippe (“billhook”). If so, then also related to English heave and doublet of hatchet.

Words from the same roots