Old English: "hatian"
Proto-Germanic: "*haitan*"
The Proto-Germanic root "*haitan*" is believed to be related to the Proto-Indo-European root "*kʷeit-*", which means "to know, perceive, or see". This connection hints at the idea that hate might have originally been linked to a strong sense of dislike or aversion based on a clear understanding or perception of something.
Evolution of Meaning:
* From "to know" to "to hate": The Proto-Germanic "*haitan*" evolved to mean "to hate" in Old English. This change might be due to the association of strong negative feelings with the act of knowing or perceiving something unfavorable.
* From Old English to Modern English: The Old English "hatian" became "hate" in Middle English and has remained relatively unchanged in modern English.
Other interesting points:
* Cognates: The word "hate" has cognates in other Germanic languages, including "Haß" (German), "haat" (Dutch), and "hat" (Swedish). These words all share the same Proto-Germanic root "*haitan*".
* Symbolic Representation: In some cultures, hate is symbolically represented by a dark or negative color, often black.
Overall, the etymology of "hate" reveals a complex evolution from an early connection to knowledge and perception to its modern meaning of intense negative emotion.