*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of -head

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *keyt-der. Proto-Germanic *haiduzder. Proto-West Germanic *-haiduder. Old English -hād Middle English -hed, -hede English -head From Middle English -hed, -hede, attested from the 12th c

2 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 2 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗
suffix

Used to create nouns indicating a state; -hood.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *keyt-der. Proto-Germanic *haiduzder. Proto-West Germanic *-haiduder. Old English -hād Middle English -hed, -hede English -head From Middle English -hed, -hede, attested from the 12th century, continuing a hypothetical Old English *-hǣdu (“-hood”), from Proto-Germanic *haidį̄ (“state, condition”), related to Proto-Germanic *haiduz (“manner, character, quality, state”). Doublet of -hood, which see.

Relationships mentioned by the source

These are extracted mentions, not a timeline or a verified sequence of immediate parents.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-hede<alt:-hed, -hede>",
        "id": "abstract noun",
        "tree": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *keyt-der.\nProto-Germanic *haiduzder.\nProto-West Germanic *-haiduder.\nOld English -hād\nMiddle English -hed, -hede\nEnglish -head\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"der.\", \"keyword_label\" : \"Derived from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*keyt-\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*haiduz\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*-haidu\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"-hād\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"-hede\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-head\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"abstract noun\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-head\" id=\"English:_abstract_noun\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "inh",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "enm",
        "3": "-hed"
      },
      "expansion": "Middle English -hed"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "*-hǣdu",
        "4": "",
        "5": "-hood"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English *-hǣdu (“-hood”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "der",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*haidį̄",
        "4": "",
        "5": "state, condition"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *haidį̄ (“state, condition”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "cog",
      "args": {
        "1": "gem-pro",
        "2": "*haiduz",
        "3": "",
        "4": "manner, character, quality, state"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *haiduz (“manner, character, quality, state”)"
    },
    {
      "name": "doublet",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "-hood"
      },
      "expansion": "Doublet of -hood"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "enm:-hede<alt:-hed, -hede>",
        "id": "abstract noun",
        "tree": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *keyt-der.\nProto-Germanic *haiduzder.\nProto-West Germanic *-haiduder.\nOld English -hād\nMiddle English -hed, -hede\nEnglish -head"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*keyt-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/keyt-"
    ],
    [
      "*haiduz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/haiduz"
    ],
    [
      "*-haidu",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/-haidu"
    ],
    [
      "-hād",
      "-had#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "-hed, -hede",
      "-hede#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-hed",
      "-hed#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "-hede",
      "-hede#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "*-hǣdu",
      "Reconstruction:Old English/-hædu"
    ],
    [
      "*haidį̄",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/haidį̄"
    ],
    [
      "*haiduz",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/haiduz"
    ],
    [
      "-hood",
      "-hood#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to create nouns indicating a state; -hood."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "morpheme",
        "uncountable"
      ],
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      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 201874
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  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
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}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗
suffix

Used to form words for people who regularly have their mind focused upon a particular subject, activity, or a specified drug or other substance, or who are addicted in some way. · Used to form words to describe people who are dedicated fans of something, especially music. · Used with other words to form generic insults or epithets to indicate stupidity.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Etymology tree substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *káput Proto-Germanic *haubudą Old English hēafod Middle English heed English headder. English -head Combining form of head (noun).

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":der",
        "3": "head",
        "id": "head",
        "tree": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-\nProto-Indo-European *káput\nProto-Germanic *haubudą\nOld English hēafod\nMiddle English heed\nEnglish headder.\nEnglish -head\n[Appendix:Glossary#derived_terms|Derived]] from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"head\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"head\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"head\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"head\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"head\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"id\" : \"seize\", \"children\" : [ { \"keyword_abbrev\" : \"bor.\", \"is_uncertain\" : true, \"keyword_label\" : \"Borrowed from\", \"terms\" : [ { \"lang_name\" : \"substrate\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"children\" : [ ], \"lang\" : \"qfa-sub\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"bor\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*kap-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*kap-\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Indo-European\", \"term\" : \"*káput\", \"lang\" : \"ine-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*haubudą\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"hēafod\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"heed\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"head\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword\" : \"derived\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-head\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-id=\"head\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"-head\" id=\"English:_head\">"
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":der",
        "3": "head",
        "id": "head",
        "tree": "++"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-\nProto-Indo-European *káput\nProto-Germanic *haubudą\nOld English hēafod\nMiddle English heed\nEnglish headder.\nEnglish -head"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*kap-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/kap-#Proto-Indo-European:_seize"
    ],
    [
      "*kap-",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/kap-#Proto-Indo-European:_head"
    ],
    [
      "*káput",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/káput#Proto-Indo-European:_head"
    ],
    [
      "*haubudą",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/haubudą#Proto-Germanic:_head"
    ],
    [
      "hēafod",
      "heafod#Old_English:_head"
    ],
    [
      "heed",
      "heed#Middle_English:_head"
    ],
    [
      "head",
      "head#English"
    ],
    [
      "head",
      "head#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "suffix",
      "glosses": [
        "Used to form words for people who regularly have their mind focused upon a particular subject, activity, or a specified drug or other substance, or who are addicted in some way.",
        "Used to form words to describe people who are dedicated fans of something, especially music.",
        "Used with other words to form generic insults or epithets to indicate stupidity."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "derogatory",
        "morpheme",
        "sometimes"
      ],
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}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for -head →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger
Machine-source provenance
Source SHA-256
5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run
73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID
w-LWhlYWQ