Heaven
/ˈhɛv.ən/noun
A place regarded in various religions as the abode of God, the angels, and the blessed dead.
Did you know?In ancient times, 'heaven' was linked to the concept of the sky as a divine realm, where gods resided, often depicted as a lofty, unattainable space.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ḱeu̯-
“to swell, rise, or lift up”
Ancient Greek
Greek
οὐρανός (ouranos)
“sky, the heavens, often associated with the divine”
Latin
Latin
caelum
“sky, heaven, emphasizing the celestial dome”
Old English
Old English
heofon
“the sky or heaven, viewed as a place above the earth”
12th Century
Middle English
heven
“the abode of God and angels, often depicted as a paradise”
Modern English
English
heaven
“the eternal home of the righteous after death, a spiritual realm.”