height

height · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*kewk-
2. Proto-Indo-European*kówkos
3. Proto-Germanic*hauhaz
4. Proto-Germanic*hauhiþō
5. Proto-West Germanic*hauhiþu
6. Old Englishhīehþu
7. Middle Englishheighte
8. English todayheight

From Middle English heighte, heiȝþe, from Old English hēahþu, hēhþo, hīehþu (“height”), Proto-West Germanic *hauhiþu, from Proto-Germanic *hauhiþō (compare *hauhaz). Equivalent to high + -t (abstract nominal suffix). The regular pronunciation is now obsolete /heɪt/ (as with other words in -eight); the modern form developed early on, at first as a variant, by analogy with the underlying adjective. Cognates See also Saterland Frisian Höchte, Hööchte (“height”), West Frisian hichte (“height”), Dutch hoogte (“height”), Middle High German hœhede, hœhte (“height”), Old Norse hæð (“height”) (compare Swedish höjd, Norwegian høyde), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌹𐌸𐌰 (hauhiþa, “height”).

Height · proper noun²

English surname, spelling variant of Hight.

Words from the same roots