heft etymology

Etymology

The word "heft" is derived from the Middle English word "heften," which itself is derived from the Old English word "heaftian," meaning "to lift" or "to raise."

Meaning

1. Physical Weight or Bulk: - The heaviness or bulk of an object: "The bag had a hefty heft to it."

2. Figurative Weight or Importance: - The seriousness, significance, or impact of something: "The decision carried a hefty heft."

3. To Lift or Hold Up: - To raise or support something: "He hefted the suitcase with ease."

Origin

The word "heft" originated in the early 13th century in England. It derives from the Proto-Germanic root "haufjanan," which means "to lift" or "to raise." This root is also found in other Germanic languages, such as German "heben" and Dutch "heffen," both meaning "to lift."

The word "heft" has been used throughout the centuries in various contexts, including:

  • In the 13th century, it was used to describe the weight of objects or the force required to lift them.
  • By the 16th century, it was used figuratively to refer to the importance or seriousness of something.
  • In the 19th century, it became common to use "heft" as a verb, meaning "to lift" or "to hold up."

heft relate terms

  • heave

    Etymology Middle English from late 14th century from Middle Dutch heven Old Saxon heb

  • have

    Etymology is the study of the origin and development of words including their form and me

  • hefty

    Etymology The word hefty comes from Old English hefe heavy Meaning Hefty means

  • heft

    Etymology The word heft is derived from the Middle English word heften which itself

  • accept

    Etymology The word accept comes from the Latin word accipere meaning to take or t

  • anticipate

    Etymology Latin anticipare from ante before capere to take Literally meaning

  • anticipation

    Etymology The word anticipation comes from the Latin word anticipatio which means

  • behave

    Etymology and Origin The word behave originated from the Middle English term behaven

  • behoof

    Etymology The word behoof comes from the Middle English word behofe which in turn d

  • behoove

    Etymology From Middle English behoven from Old English behōfian to be necessary sui

  • cable

    Etymology The word cable derives from the Latin word capulum which means halter

  • cacciatore

    Etymology Italian cacciatore Meaning Hunter Origin The word cacciatore ha

  • capable

    Etymology The word capable comes from the Old French word capable which in turn come

  • capacious

    Etymology Latin capax adjective spacious ample capacious Proto Indo European

  • capacity

    Etymology Latin capacitas Late Latin capere to take to hold Meaning The a

  • capias

    Etymology Latin capias from capere to take seize Meaning A writ commanding the

  • capiche

    Etymology Capire Italian to understand iche Italian suffix indicating understa

  • capstan

    Etymology The word capstan comes from the Old French word cabestan which is derived

  • caption

    Etymology Caption comes from the Latin word captio meaning to seize or to captur

  • captious

    Etymology The word captious is derived from the Latin word captiō meaning to take

  • captivate

    Etymology Origin Latin captivāre meaning to capture enslave Root capere mea

  • captive

    Etymology The word captive comes from the Latin word captivus meaning taken captiv

  • captor

    Etymology Latin captor taker seizer captor Proto Indo European kap to seize

  • capture

    Etymology Origin Latin capere meaning to take hold of seize Evolution Latin c

  • case

    Etymology The word case derives from the Old French word cas which in turn comes fro

  • catch

    Etymology The word catch comes from the Middle English word cacchen which itself der

  • catchpoll

    Etymology The word catchpoll comes from the Middle English term cachepolle which is

  • cater

    Etymology Cater derives from the Middle English word catere which is of uncertain ori

  • chase

    Etymology Old French chacier Latin captiare meaning to seize capture hunt Mean

  • chase

    Etymology Old French chacier Latin captiare meaning to seize capture hunt Mean

  • chasse

    Etymology Old French chasse noun chacier verb Vulgar Latin captiare to seiz

  • chasseur

    Etymology The word chasseur comes from the Old French word chacier meaning to hunt

  • copper

    Etymology The word copper comes from the Latin word cuprum which is believed to be

  • deceive

    Etymology Old French deçoivre deceivre Latin decipere to catch someone out to

  • emancipate

    Etymology Latin emancipare to release a child from parental authority Latin root

  • except

    Etymology Latin excipere meaning to take out receive or catch Meaning A word o

  • forceps

    Etymology and Origin of Forceps The term forceps comes from the Latin word forceps

  • gaffe

    Etymology Early 17th century probably from Spanish gafo lame clumsy awkward f

  • haft

  • have

    Etymology is the study of the origin and development of words including their form and me

  • hawk

    Etymology The word hawk comes from the Middle English word hauk which is ultimately

  • heave

    Etymology Middle English from late 14th century from Middle Dutch heven Old Saxon heb

  • heavy

    Etymology Middle English hevy from Old English hefig heavy weighty Proto Germanic

  • heft

    Etymology The word heft is derived from the Middle English word heften which itself

  • incapacity

    Etymology Latin in not or without capax roomy able to hold Origin 14t

  • inception

    Etymology Inception is derived from the Latin word incipio which means to begin o

  • incipient

    Etymology Incipient comes from the Latin word incipere meaning to begin or to com

  • intercept

    Etymology Latin intercipere inter between capere to take Meaning To s

  • intussusception

    Etymology Intus Latin Within Suscipere Latin To receive Meaning Intussuscepti

  • manciple

    Etymology Origin Middle English 14th century from Middle French manacepier mancipe

  • municipal

    Etymology The word municipal derives from the Latin word municipalis which in turn c

  • occupy

    Etymology The word occupy comes from the Latin word occupare which means to take po

  • participation

    Etymology The word participation originates from the Latin word participatio which

  • perceive

    Etymology Latin percipere to take hold of lay hold of Proto Indo European per

  • precept

    Etymology The word precept comes from the Latin word praeceptum which means comman

  • prince

    Etymology Old French prince Latin princeps first citizen Meaning A sovereig

  • purchase

    Etymology Origin Old French purchaz Latin perquadrere to acquire Meaning T

  • receive

    Etymology The word receive comes from the Middle English word receiven which itself

  • recipe

    Etymology The word recipe comes from the Latin word recipere meaning to take or rec

  • recuperate

    Etymology Latin recuperare Re again back capere to take seize Meaning

  • sashay

  • susceptible

    Etymology From Middle English susceptible from Old French susceptible from Latin susc

  • haft

  • weasel

    Etymology and Meaning The word weasel has Germanic origins Proto Germanic wesula O

  • abstract

    Etymology Origin Latin abstractus past participle of abstrahere meaning to draw away

  • flit

    Etymology of flit Middle English flitten from Old English fleotan to move float

  • lift

    Etymology Lift derives from the Middle English word lyften which is itself derived fr

  • weigh

    Etymology From Middle English weyen from Old English wēgan from Proto Germanic wēga

  • gravity

    Etymology The word gravity is derived from the Middle English word gravite which in

  • pink

    Etymology The word pink comes from the Middle English word pinke which in turn deri

  • concert

    Etymology The word concert comes from the Middle French word concerto which in turn c

  • anxious

    Etymology and Meaning of Anxious Etymology The word anxious derives from the Latin