Etymology Dictionary

HALF,  one of two equal parts of a thing.  (E.)   M.E. half; 'half a bushel;' Chaucer, C. T. 4242.—A.S. healf, Northumb. half, Luke xix. 8; where the later A.S. text has half. + Du. half. + Icel. hálfr. + Swed. half. + Du. halv. + Goth. halbs. + G. halb, O.H.G. halp.   β. In close connection with this adj. we find M.E. half, A.S. healf (Gen. xiii. 9), Icel. hálfa, Goth. halba, O.H.G. halpa, used with the sense of 'side,' or 'part;' and this may have been the orig. sense.   It occurs, e.g. in the Goth. version of 2 Cor. iii. 9, where the Gk. ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει is translated by in thizai halbai.   Thus the European type is HALBA, sb., a part, side.   γ. A late example of the sb. is in the phrase left half = left side, or left hand; P. Plowman, B. ii. 5.   It survives in mod. E. behalf; see Behalf.   Der. halve, verb, M.E. haluen (= halven), Wyclif, Ps. liv. 24; halved; half-blood, half-breed, half-bred, half-brother, half-sister, half-moon, half-pay, half-way, half-witted, half-yearly.   Also half-penny, in which the f (as well as the l) has long been lost in pronunciation; spelt hal-peny, P. Plowman, B. vi. 307.   Also be-half.