late 12c., from Old English handgeweorc "work of the hand, creation," from hand (n.) + geweorc, collective form of weorc "work" (see work (n.)). Old English collective prefix ge- regularly reduces to i- in Middle English, and the word probably came to be felt as handy + work.
handhold
handicap
handicapped
handicraft
handily
handiwork
hand-jive
handkerchief
handle
handlebar
handler