heron

heron · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)kreik-
2. Proto-Germanic · derived from*haigrô
3. Proto-West Germanic · derived from*hraigrō
4. Medieval Latin · derived fromhairō
5. Anglo-Norman · derived fromheiron
6. Middle English · inherited fromheron
7. English todayheron

From Middle English heron, heroun, heiron, from Anglo-Norman heiron, from Medieval Latin hairō, from Frankish and Proto-West Germanic *hraigrō, from Proto-Germanic *haigrô (compare Swedish häger and Danish hejre), dissimilation of *hraigrô (compare Old English hrāgra, Dutch reiger, German Reiher), from imitative Proto-Indo-European *(s)kreik-, *(s)kreig- (“to screech, creak”) (compare Welsh crëyr (“heron”), Ancient Greek κρίζω (krízō, “to creak, screech”). Compare also egret from the same Germanic etymon.

Heron · proper noun²

1. Old English · derived fromharum
2. English todayHeron

* As an English and French surname, from heron. * As an English surname, from Harome in Yorkshire, from Old English harum, dative plural of hær (“stone”) * As an Irish surname, from O'Heron, from Ó hUidhrín (literally “descendant of Uidhrín”), from odhar (“swarthy”). * As an Irish surname, from Ó hEaráin; see Haren. * As an Irish surname, from Mac Giolla Chiaráin (literally “son of the servant of Ciarán”); see Kieran.

Words from the same roots