harness

Where does the word "harness" come from? It comes from Old Norse hernest, passing through Old French before entering English (1200s).

Harness’s story begins in Old Norse: hernest meant “army provisions.” An Old Norse word, 'herr' army plus 'nest' provisions. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old French as harneis. A knight's armour and equipment. It reached English by 1200s as harness. Came to mean mainly the straps of a draught horse. Today, harness means a set of straps for a horse or person.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval hernest "army provisions", an Old Norse word, 'herr' army plus 'nest' provisions.
2. Stage 2 · Old French · medieval harneis "armour, gear", a knight's armour and equipment.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1200s harness "armour; horse gear", came to mean mainly the straps of a draught horse.