Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *ehwaz ‎(“horse”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁éḱwos ‎(“horse”). Cognate with Old Saxon ehuskalk ‎(“horse-rider”), Old High German eha- (in personal names), Old Norse jór, Gothic 𐌰𐌹𐍈𐍃 ‎(aihws). The Indo-European root is also the source of Latin equus, Avestan [script needed] ‎(aspa-), Sanskrit अश्व ‎(áśva), Old Armenian էշ ‎(ēš, “donkey”), Tocharian A yuk B yakwe, Proto-Baltic *ečwā- (Lithuanian ašvà), Old Irish ech (Irish each).