Online Etymology Dictionary

hereon (adv.): Old English heron "upon this;" see here + on.
heresiarch (n.): "arch-heretic; leader in heresy," 1620s, from Church Latin haeresiarcha, from Late Greek hairesiarkhes "leader of a school;" in classical use chiefly a medical school; in ecclesiastical writers, leader of a sect or heresy (see heresy + arch-). Related: Heresiarchy.
heresy (n.): "doctrine or opinion at variance with established standards" (or, as Johnson defines it, "an opinion of private men different from that of the catholick and orthodox church"), c. 1200, from Old French heresie, eresie "heresy," and by extension "sodomy, immorality" (12c.), from Latin hæresis, "school of thought, philosophical sect." The Latin word is from Greek hairesis "a taking or choosing for oneself, a choice, a means of taking; a deliberate plan, purpose; philosophical sect, school," from haireisthai "take, seize," middle voice of hairein "to choose," a word of unknown origin, perhaps from PIE *ser- (5) "to seize" (source of Hittite šaru "booty," Welsh herw "booty").

The Greek word was used by Church writers in reference to various sects, schools, etc. in the New Testament: the Sadducees, the Pharisees, and even the Christians, as sects of Judaism. Hence the meaning "unorthodox religious sect or doctrine" in the Latin word as used by Christian writers in Late Latin. But in English bibles it usually is translated sect. Transferred (non-religious) use in English is from late 14c.
heretic (n.): "one who holds a doctrine at variance with established or dominant standards," mid-14c., from Old French eretique (14c., Modern French hérétique), from Church Latin haereticus "of or belonging to a heresy," as a noun, "a heretic," from Greek hairetikos "able to choose" (in the New Testament, "heretical"), verbal adjective of hairein (see heresy).
heretical (adj.): early 15c., from Old French eretical, heretical and directly from Medieval Latin haereticalis, from haereticus (see heretic).
hereto (adv.): "to this" (place, action, etc.), late 12c., from here + to.
heretofore (adv.): c. 1200, from here + obsolete Old English toforan "formerly, before now," from to (prep.) + foran (adv.) "in front," dative of for. Also in Middle English heretoforn.
hereunder (adv.): "under this," early 15c., from here + under.
hereunto (adv.): c. 1500, from here + unto.
hereupon (adv.): "upon this," late Old English, from here + upon.
herewith (adv.): "along with this," late Old English herwið; see here + with.
heriot (n.): Old English here-geatwe (plural) "military equipment, army-gear," from here "army" (see harry (v.)) + geatwe, from Proto-Germanic *gatawja- "equipment," from Germanic root *taw- "to make, manufacture" (see taw (v.)). An Anglo-Saxon service of weapons, loaned by the lord to his retainer and repayable to him upon the retainer's death; sense transferred by 13c. to a feudal due upon the death of a tenant, payable to his lord in beasts.
heritable (adj.): early 15c., from Old French heritable (c. 1200), from heriter "to inherit" (see heritage). The Medieval Latin word was hereditabilis. Related: Heritability.
heritage (n.): c. 1200, "that which may be inherited," from Old French iritage, eritage, heritage "heir; inheritance, ancestral estate, heirloom," from heriter "inherit," from Late Latin hereditare, ultimately from Latin heres (genitive heredis) "heir" (see heredity). Meaning "condition or state transmitted from ancestors" is from 1620s.
herm (n.): in ancient Athens, "square pillar of stone topped by a carved human head" (conventionally that of Hermes), used as a milestone, boundary marker, etc., 1570s, from Latin herma, from Hermes (q.v.).
Herman: masc. proper name, from German Hermann, from Old High German Hariman, literally "man of war, warrior," from hari "host, army" (see harry (v.)) + man "man" (see man (n.)).
hermaphrodism (n.): "physical condition of having both male and female sexual organs," 1799, from French hermaphrodisme (1750s); see hermaphrodite + -ism. Hermaphroditism is from 1807; hermaphrodeity is from 1610s.
hermaphrodite (n.): late 14c. (harmofroditus), from Latin hermaphroditus, from Greek hermaphroditos "person partaking of the attributes of both sexes," as a proper name, the son of Hermes and Aphrodite, who, in Ovid, was loved by the nymph Salmacis so ardently that she prayed for complete union with him and as a result they were united bodily, combining male and female characteristics.

Also used figuratively in Middle English of "one who improperly occupies two offices." As a name for the condition, Middle English had hermofrodito (late 14c.), hermofrodisia (early 15c.). As an adjective, from c. 1600.
hermaphroditic (adj.): 1620s, from hermaphrodite + -ic. Earlier form was hermaphroditical (c. 1600).
hermeneutic (adj.): "interpretive," 1670s, from Latinized form of Greek hermeneutikos "of or for interpreting," from hermeneutes "interpreter," from hermeneuein "to interpret (foreign languages); interpret into words, give utterance to," a word of unknown origin (formerly considered ultimately a derivative of Hermes, as the tutelary divinity of speech, writing, and eloquence).
hermeneutical (adj.): 1798, from hermeneutic + -al (1). Related: Hermeneutically.
hermeneutics (n.): "art of interpretation, the study of exegesis," 1737, from hermeneutic; also see -ics.
Hermes: son of Zeus and Maia in Greek mythology; Olympian messenger and god of commerce, markets, and roads; protector of herdsmen, travelers, and rogues; giver of good luck, god of secret dealings, and conductor of the dead. from Greek Hermes, a word of unknown origin. He was identified by the Romans with their Mercury.
hermetic (adj.): 1630s "dealing with occult science or alchemy," from Latin hermeticus, from Greek Hermes, god of science and art (among other things), who was identified by Neoplatonists, mystics, and alchemists with the Egyptian god Thoth as Hermes Trismegistos "Thrice-Great Hermes," who supposedly invented the process of making a glass tube airtight (a process in alchemy) using a secret seal. Hence, "completely sealed" (c. 1600, implied in hermetically).
hermetically (adv.): c. 1600, "according to hermetic practice," especially, chemically, "by means of fusion," from hermetical (see hermetic) + -ly (2).
Hermione: fem. proper name, from Greek Hermione, derived from Hermes (genitive Hermeio).
hermit (n.): early 12c., "religious recluse, one who dwells apart in a solitary place for religious meditation," from Old French hermit, ermit "hermit, recluse," from Late Latin eremita, from Greek eremites, literally "person of the desert," from eremia "a solitude, an uninhabited region, a waste," from eremos "uninhabited, empty, desolate, bereft," from PIE *ere- (2) "to separate" (source also of Latin rete "net," Lithuanian retis "sieve"). The unhistorical h- first appeared in Medieval Latin heremite.

Transferred sense of "person living in solitude" is from 1799. Related: Hermitic; hermitical. The hermit crab (1735) is said to be so called for its seeking out and dwelling in a solitary cell.
hermitage (n.): late 13c., "dwelling place of a hermit," from Old French hermitage/ermitage "hermitage, solitude," from hermit (see hermit). Earlier in the same sense in English was hermitorie (c. 1200), from Medieval Latin hermitorium. Transferred sense of "solitary or secluded dwelling place" is from 1640s.
hern (pron.): "hers" (dialectal), from her + adjectival -n.
hernia (n.): late 14c., hirnia, from Latin hernia "a rupture," related to hira "intestine," from PIE *ghere- "gut, entrail" (see yarn). The re-Latinized spelling of the English word is from 17c. Related: Herniated (1819).
hernial (adj.): early 15c., from Medieval Latin hernialis, from hernia (see hernia).
herniation (n.): 1875, from hernia + -ation.
hero (n.1): late 14c., "man of superhuman strength or physical courage," from Old French heroe (14c., Modern French héros), from Latin heros (plural heroes) "hero, demi-god, illustrious man," from Greek heros (plural heroes) "demi-god," a variant singular of which was heroe.

This is of uncertain origin; perhaps originally "defender, protector," and from PIE root *ser- (1) "to watch over, protect" (see observe). Meaning "man who exhibits great bravery" in any course of action is from 1660s in English. Sense of "chief male character in a play, story, etc." first recorded 1690s. Hero-worship is from 1713 in reference to ancient cults and mysteries; of living men by 1830s.

In Homer, of the Greeks before Troy, then a comprehensive term used of warriors generally, also of all free men in the Heroic Age. In classical mythology at least from the time of Hesiod (8c. B.C.E.) "man born from a god and a mortal," especially one who had done service to mankind; with the exception of Heracles limited to local deities and patrons of cities.
hero (n.2): 1955, the New York City term for a sandwich elsewhere called submarine, grinder, poor boy (New Orleans), or hoagie (Philadelphia); origin unknown, perhaps so called for its great size (from hero (n.1)), or a folk-etymology alteration of Greek gyro as a type of sandwich.
Herodian (adj.): pertaining to Herod, name of rulers in ancient Palestine in Roman times, especially Herod the Great, king of Judea 38-4 B.C.E. The name is Greek, Herodes, from heros "hero" (see hero (n.1)) + patronymic suffix -des.
heroic (adj.): 1540s, "having or displaying the qualities of a hero," shortened from heroical (early 15c., also heroycus) "noble, magnanimous," from Latin heroicus "of a hero, heroic, mythical," from Greek heroikos "of or for a hero, pertaining to heroes," from heros (see hero (n.1)). In some modern uses, "having recourse to extreme measures." The Heroic Age, semi-mythical prehistoric period in Greece, ended with the return of the armies from the fall of Troy. Related: Heroically. Heroic verse (1610s), decasyllabic iambic, is from Italian.
heroics (n.): 1590s, "heroic verse" (see heroic). Meaning "deeds worthy of a hero" attested by 1831.
heroin (n.): 1898, from German Heroin, coined 1898 as trademark registered by Friedrich Bayer & Co. for their morphine substitute. According to tradition the word was coined with chemical suffix -ine (2) (German -in) + Greek heros "hero" (see hero (n.1)) because of the euphoric feeling the drug provides, but no evidence for this seems to have been found so far.
A new hypnotic, to which the name of 'heroin' has been given, has been tried in the medical clinic of Professor Gerhardt in Berlin. ["The Lancet," Dec. 3, 1898]
heroine (n.): 1650s, "demigoddess," from Latin heroine, heroina (plural heroinae) "a female hero, a demigoddess" (such as Medea), from Greek heroine, fem. of heros (see hero (n.1)). Meaning "heroic woman, woman distinguished by exalted courage or noble achievements" is from 1660s. Sense of "principal female character in a drama, poem, etc." is from 1715.
heroism (n.): 1717, from French héroisme, from héros (see hero (n.1)).
heron (n.): "long-necked, long-legged wading bird," c. 1300, from Old French hairon, eron (12c.), earlier hairo (11c., Modern French héron), from Frankish *haigiro or some other Germanic source, from Proto-Germanic *hraigran. Related to Old High German heigaro, Danish hejre "heron," German Reiher, Dutch reiger, Old Norse hegri), perhaps from a common IE root imitative of its cry (compare Old Church Slavonic kriku "cry, scream," Lithuanian kryksti "to shriek," Welsh cregyra "heron," Latin graculus "jackdaw, crow"). Old English cognate hraga did not survive into Middle English. Egret is from the same source.
herpes (n.): late 14c., "any inflammatory, spreading skin condition" (used of shingles, gangrene, etc.), from Latin herpes "a spreading skin eruption," from Greek herpes, the name for the disease shingles, literally "creeping," from herpein "to creep, move slowly" (cognate with Latin serpere "to creep;" see serpent). The condition was not distinguished into specific diseases until early 19c.
herpetic (adj.): "pertaining to herpes," 1762, from Greek herpes (genitive herpetos); see herpes + -ic. Perhaps via French herpétique.
herpetology (n.): "study of reptiles," 1816, from French herpétologie (18c.), coined from Greek herpeton "reptile," literally "creeping thing," from herpein "to creep" (see serpent) + French -logie (see -logy). Related: Herpetologist; herpetological.
Herr: German equivalent of Mister (but also used without a name), 1650s, originally "nobler, superior," from Middle High German herre, from Old High German herro, comparative of her "noble, worthy, exalted," from PIE *kei- (2), a color adjective (see hue (n.1)), in suffixed form *koi-ro- here meaning "gray, hoary," hence "gray-haired, venerable." Cognate with Old Frisian hera, Dutch heer; perhaps in this usage a loan-translation of Latin senior. Hence also Herrenvolk "master race," the concept of the German people in Nazi ideology.
herring (n.): north Atlantic food fish of great commercial value, Old English hering (Anglian), hæring (West Saxon), from West Germanic *heringgaz (source also of Old Frisian hereng, Middle Dutch herinc, German Hering), of unknown origin. Perhaps from a source related to or influenced in form by Old English har "gray, hoar," from the fish's color, or from the source of Old High German heri "host, multitude" in reference to its moving in large schools.

French hareng, Italian aringa are from Germanic. The Battle of the Herrings (French bataille des harengs) is the popular name for the action at Rouvrai, Feb. 12, 1492, fought in defense of a convoy of provisions, mostly herrings and other "lenten stuffe."
herringbone: also herring-bone, 1650s in literal sense and also as a type of stitch, from herring + bone (n.). From 1903 as a type of cirrocumulus cloud. Earlier as a type of masonry.
hers: c. 1300, hires, from her; thus a double possessive. Possessive pronouns in Modern English consist of the predicative (mine, thine, his, ours, yours, theirs) that come after the subject, and the attributive (my, thy, his, her, our, your, their) that come before it. In Old English and early Middle English, they were identical. To keep speech fluid, speakers began to affix an -n to the end of predicative my and thy before words that began with vowels. This began late 13c. in the north of England, and by 1500 was standard.

Then the predicative and attributive pronouns split, and the remaining pronouns in that class took up -s, the regular affix of possession. But the non-standard speech of the Midlands and south of England extended -n throughout (hisn, hern, yourn), a habit attested from 14c. and more regular than the standard speech, which mixes -s and -n.
herse (n.): see hearse.
herself (pron.): emphatic or reflexive form of third person feminine pronoun, Old English hire self; see her (objective case) + self. Originally dative, but since 14c. often treated as genitive, hence her own sweet self, etc. Also compare himself.