hug

Where does the word "hug" come from? It comes from Old Norse hugga, and was adopted directly into English (1560s).

Hug’s story begins in Old Norse: hugga meant “to comfort, to console.” First recorded in the 1560s; the Norse link is uncertain but widely proposed. It reached English by 1560s as hug. Narrowed to mean embracing someone closely with the arms. Today, hug means to hold someone closely in one's arms as a sign of affection.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval hugga "to comfort, to console", first recorded in the 1560s; the Norse link is uncertain but widely proposed.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1560s hug "to embrace someone closely with the arms", narrowed to mean embracing someone closely with the arms.