Hear
/hɪr/noun
To perceive sound with the ear.
Did you know?English hear descends from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning both “to hear” and “to perceive,” showing how ancient languages treated sound as a gateway to awareness.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱleu-
“to hear; to listen; to become aware of”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hauzijaną
“to hear”
Old English
OE
hieran / hȳran
“to hear; to obey”
Middle English
ME
heren
“to hear”
Modern English
English
hear
“to perceive sound with the ear”