Etymograph

English

hector

Hector may come from Latin Hectōr, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- ‘to hold’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seǵʰ-1‘to hold’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEHectōr1uncertain
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500Hector1‘warrior with the qualities of Hector’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1672hector1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English hector
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1672, Thomas Shadwell, Epsom-Wells. A Comedy: “Luc[ia]. VVhat would you do you dowty Hectors? /…”.

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*seǵʰ-Wiktionary, English hector‘to hold’reconstructed
  2. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEHectōrWiktionary, English hectoruncertain
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500HectorWiktionary, English hector‘warrior with the qualities of Hector’
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1672hectorWiktionary, English hector. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 1672, Thomas Shadwell, Epsom-Wells. A Comedy: “Luc[ia]. VVhat would you do you dowty Hectors? /…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- ‘to hold’

school, severe, sketch, scholar, severity, perseverance, epoch, scholastic, schema, hectic, shul, 23 more

Today it means

noun Sometimes in the form Hector: a blustering, noisy, turbulent fellow; a braggart, bully.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “hector”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ- / hector

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