Etymology and origin of the Proto-West Germanic word *hait
*hait1 hot
- Confidence
- Established
- Formation
- Inherited
- Inherited from
- Proto-Germanic *haitaz
- Ultimate origin
- Proto-Indo-European *keHy-
Etymology tree of *hait1
Reconstruction
Wiktionary reconstructs an adjective *hait "hot" for Proto-West Germanic.[1]
Etymology
It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *haitaz (“hot”),[2] which Kroonen cites by its stem *haita- and Köbler as *haitaz.[3][4] Kroonen takes it for an o-grade adjective made to a root that also gave the Gothic word for "heat, fever".[3] EWA analyses it as a derivative with the Proto-Germanic suffix *-ta- of the word for heat that Old High German has as hei.[5]
Morphology
Evidence
The adjective is found in all the West Germanic languages: Old English hāt,[6] Old Frisian hēt,[7] Old Saxon hēt in the Heliand,[8] and Old High German heiz, in glosses from about the middle of the 9th century.[5] Old Dutch has it only in the High German form heizza, in Williram's commentary on the Song of Songs of about 1100.[9] EWA also cites the Old Dutch compound heitmuodi (“rage, anger”).[5]
Meanings
Old English also used the adjective for "burning, glowing, excited, violent",[6] Old Frisian for "violent, sharp",[7] and Old High German for "fiery, violent".[5]
Derivatives
- *haitijan "to make hot, to heat", which Wiktionary reconstructs.[10]
- *haitēn "to be hot, to become hot", which Wiktionary reconstructs;[11] Köbler sets up the verb for Proto-Germanic on Old English hātian and Old High German heizēn.[12]
Reflexes
*hait2 promise
- Confidence
- Probable
- Formation
- Inherited
- Inherited from
- Proto-Germanic *haitą
Reconstruction
Wiktionary reconstructs a noun *hait "promise".[13]
Etymology
It is inherited from Proto-Germanic *haitą (“promise”), a noun made from the verb for "to call".[13] Köbler sets up a Proto-Germanic neuter *haitam "promise", continued by Old English hāt and Gothic 𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌰𐌷𐌰𐌹𐍄 (andahait), and beside it a masculine *haitaz "order, promise".[4]
Morphology
A neuter noun in Old English and Old Frisian.[14][7] Köbler gives the Old High German noun as a masculine, found only in prefixed nouns.[15]
Evidence
The simple noun is recorded as Old English hāt "command, promise, vow"[14] and Old Frisian hēt "command", only in the phrase up hēt "on command".[7] Köbler sets up an Old Saxon *hêt "vow, promise" from compounds such as bīhêtword,[16] and an Old High German *heiz from the prefixed nouns such as giheiz.[15] Gamillscheg derives Old French soshaidier, modern French souhaiter (“to wish”), recorded from the 12th century, from Frankish *hait (“wish”), which he compares with Old Norse heit (“promise, vow, wish”).[17] ONW, on the other hand, derives Old French hait (“joy”) from a Germanic *χaid- "brightness", the word behind Old Dutch -hēd.[9]
Meanings
Old English also used the noun for "command" and "vow".[14]
Derivatives
- Wiktionary reconstructs Proto-Germanic *gahaitą (“pledge, vow, promise”) with the prefix *ga-, behind Old English ġehāt;[18] Old Dutch has giheit (“promise, vow”) in the Wachtendonck Psalms of the 9th century.[19]
Reflexes
References
- ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *hait
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *haitaz
- ^ a b c Kroonen, Guus (2013), Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Germanic, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 11, Leiden / Boston: Brill, p. 202
- ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *haita-
- ^ a b c d e f Lloyd, Albert L.; Springer, Otto; Lühr, Rosemarie, et al. (1988–), Etymologisches Wörterbuch des Althochdeutschen, Göttingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht; online ewa.saw-leipzig.de, p. s.v. heiz
- ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altenglisches Wörterbuch, 4th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hāt
- ^ a b c d e f Hofmann, Dietrich; Popkema, Anne Tjerk (2008), Altfriesisches Handwörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hēt
- ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. hêt
- ^ a b c Oudnederlands Woordenboek (2009–), Instituut voor de Nederlandse Taal, Leiden; gtb.ivdnt.org, p. s.v. hēt
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *haitijan
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *haitēn
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Germanisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *haitēn
- ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *haitą
- ^ a b c d Holthausen, Ferdinand (1934), Altenglisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter, p. s.v. hāt
- ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Althochdeutsches Wörterbuch, 6th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *heiz
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard (2014), Altsächsisches Wörterbuch, 5th ed., online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. *hêt
- ^ Gamillscheg, Ernst (1966–1969), Etymologisches Wörterbuch der französischen Sprache, 2nd, fully revised ed., Heidelberg: Winter, p. 866
- ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org, p. s.v. *gahaitą
- ^ Köbler, Gerhard, Altniederfränkisches Wörterbuch, online, koeblergerhard.de/wikiling, p. s.v. giheit
Related etymologies
Cite this entry
“*hait.” Etymologically, 16 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/gmw-pro/*hait. Accessed 16 Nov. 2026.
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