*SET-U

English word origin

Etymology of 4-H'er

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwṓr Proto-Germanic *fedwōr Proto-West Germanic *feuwar Old English fēower Middle English four English four substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto

1 source sectionExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗
In this entry · 1 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.

Unnumbered source etymology

Original entry ↗
noun

A participant in 4-H.

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

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kʷetwṓr Proto-Germanic *fedwōr Proto-West Germanic *feuwar Old English fēower Middle English four English four substratebor.? Proto-Indo-European *kap-? Proto-Indo-European *kap- Proto-Indo-European *káput Proto-Germanic *haubudą Old English hēafod Middle English heed English head English hands Proto-Germanic *hertô Proto-West Germanic *hertā Old English heorte Middle English herte English heart English 4-H English -'er English 4-H'er From 4-H + -'er.

Inspect preserved source fields

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

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "4-H",
        "4": "-er<alt:-'er><id:occupation>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *kʷetwṓr\nProto-Germanic *fedwōr\nProto-West Germanic *feuwar\nOld English fēower\nMiddle English four\nEnglish four\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-\nProto-Indo-European *káput\nProto-Germanic *haubudą\nOld English hēafod\nMiddle English heed\nEnglish head\nEnglish hands\nProto-Germanic *hertô\nProto-West Germanic *hertā\nOld English heorte\nMiddle English herte\nEnglish heart\nEnglish 4-H\nEnglish -'er\nEnglish 4-H'er\n[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*fedwōr\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*feuwar\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"fēower\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"four\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"four\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"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\" }, { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"hands\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"id\" : \"heart\", \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ { \"terms\" : [ { \"children\" : [ ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*hertô\", \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*hertā\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"heorte\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"herte\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"heart\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"keyword\" : \"from\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"4-H\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }, { \"alt\" : \"-'er\", \"id\" : \"occupation\", \"children\" : [ ], \"status\" : \"missing\", \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"-er\", \"lang\" : \"en\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"From\", \"is_group\" : true, \"keyword\" : \"affix\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"English\", \"term\" : \"4-H'er\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"en\" }\" data-lang=\"en\" data-title=\"4-H'er\">\nFrom 4-H + -'er."
    },
    {
      "name": "ety",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": ":af",
        "3": "4-H",
        "4": "-er<alt:-'er><id:occupation>",
        "text": "+",
        "tree": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "Etymology tree\nProto-Indo-European *kʷetwṓr\nProto-Germanic *fedwōr\nProto-West Germanic *feuwar\nOld English fēower\nMiddle English four\nEnglish four\nsubstratebor.?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-?\nProto-Indo-European *kap-\nProto-Indo-European *káput\nProto-Germanic *haubudą\nOld English hēafod\nMiddle English heed\nEnglish head\nProto-Germanic *handuz\nProto-West Germanic *handu\nOld English hand\nMiddle English hond\nEnglish hand\nProto-Indo-European *-os\nProto-Indo-European *-ms\nProto-Indo-European *-omsder.\nProto-Germanic *-anzder.?\nProto-Indo-European *-éh₂m̥s\nProto-Germanic *-ōz\nProto-Germanic *-ōsder.?\nOld English -as\nMiddle English -es\nEnglish -s\nEnglish hands\nProto-Indo-European *ḱerd-\nProto-Indo-European *ḱérd\nProto-Germanic *hertô\nProto-West Germanic *hertā\nOld English heorte\nMiddle English herte\nEnglish heart\nEnglish 4-H\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂\nProto-Indo-European *-os?\nProto-Indo-European *-o-\nProto-Indo-European *-so-\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂so-\nProto-Indo-European *-yós\nProto-Indo-European *-eh₂s(i)yós\nProto-Italic *-āsijos\nProto-Italic *-āsios\nLatin -āriusnom.\nLatin -āriusbor.\nProto-Germanic *-ārijaz\nProto-West Germanic *-ārī\nOld English -ere\nMiddle English -ere\n▲\nLatin -ārius\nOld French -ierbor.\nMiddle English -er\nEnglish -'er\nEnglish 4-H'er\nFrom 4-H + -'er."
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "*kʷetwṓr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Indo-European/kʷetwóres"
    ],
    [
      "*fedwōr",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/fedwōr"
    ],
    [
      "*feuwar",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/feuwar"
    ],
    [
      "fēower",
      "feower#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "four",
      "four#Middle_English"
    ],
    [
      "four",
      "four#English"
    ],
    [
      "*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"
    ],
    [
      "hands",
      "hands#English"
    ],
    [
      "*hertô",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-Germanic/hertô"
    ],
    [
      "*hertā",
      "Reconstruction:Proto-West Germanic/hertā"
    ],
    [
      "heorte",
      "heorte#Old_English"
    ],
    [
      "herte",
      "herte#Middle_English:_heart"
    ],
    [
      "heart",
      "heart#English"
    ],
    [
      "4-H",
      "4-H#English"
    ],
    [
      "-'er",
      "-er#English:_occupation"
    ],
    [
      "4-H",
      "4-H#English"
    ],
    [
      "-'er",
      "-er#English:_occupation"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A participant in 4-H."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "54ab0a80df6d9852bda54db301a1d87445abb799c8c7dd3f9fd7ffdf7ba8ba40",
      "rawRecordSha256": "d473874c802ab7b4fd94b910865995e7e563c171f3aef7a2f0e2b4c1c21e7611",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 863157
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

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 4-H'er →

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-NC1IJ2Vy