c.1300, "the axis of the earth;" late 14c. as "movable joint of a gate or door," not found in Old English, cognate with Middle Dutch henghe "hook, handle," Middle Low German henge "hinge," from Proto-Germanic *hanhan (transitive), *hangen (intransitive), from PIE *konk- "to hang" (see hang, v.). The notion is the thing from which a door hangs.

c.1600, "to bend," from hinge, n.. Meaning "turn on, depend" is from 1719. Related: Hinged; hinging.