Heft
/hɛft/noun
The heaviness of something or the act of lifting and testing its weight.
Did you know?Heft belongs to a Germanic family tied to the idea of raising or lifting, which is why it still feels physical and immediate rather than abstract.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kap-
“to seize, grasp”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*hafjaną
“to lift, raise”
Old English
OE
hæft
“a holding, a bond; captivity”
Middle English
ME
hefte
“a handle or grip; the act of lifting or testing weight”
Modern English
English
heft
“weight; heaviness; the act of judging weight by lifting”