Heia
See also: heia
German
editEtymology
editChiefly Central German word attested since the 18th century. Related to common lullaby verses like heia popeia. This is probably of mere interjectional origin, though some have ventured to derive it from Proto-Indo-European *ḱey- (“to lie down”), in which case it would be related with Heirat. The late attestation is only a weak counterargument in such a childish word; nevertheless the relation seems rather hypothetical.
Pronunciation
editNoun
editHeia f (genitive Heia, plural Heias or Heia)
- (childish) bed or sleep; beddy-bye
- in die Heia gehen ― to go to bed
- Zeit für die Heia ― time for bed / time for sleep
- Heia machen ― to sleep
Declension
editDeclension of Heia [feminine]
Further reading
edit- “Heia” in Duden online