herald

The story

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ker-“army”
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*harjawaldaz
3. Frankish · derived from*heriwald
4. Old French · derived fromheraut
5. Anglo-Norman · derived fromheraud
6. Middle English · inherited fromherald
7. Latin · derived fromheraldus
8. English todayherald

From Latin heraldus, from Middle English herald, herauld, heraud, from Anglo-Norman heraud, from Old French heraut, hiraut (modern French héraut), from Frankish *heriwald, from Proto-Germanic *harjawaldaz, a compound consisting of Proto-Indo-European *ker- (“army”) + *h₂welh₁- (“to be strong”). Doublet of Harold and Harald; compare Walter, which has these elements reversed.

Words from the same roots