c. 1300, haut, "great, high;" mid-15c., "high in one's own estimation, haughty," from Old French haut (11c.) "main, principal; proud, noble, dignified; eminent; loud; grand," literally "high," from Latin altus "high" (see old); with initial h- in French by influence of Frankish hoh "high." Spelling in English altered to -gh- 16c. by influence of caught, naught, etc., or of high. Related: Haughtily.
