Where does “help” come from?

help (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch helpen, from Middle Dutch helpen, from Old Dutch helpan, from Proto-West Germanic helpan, from Proto-Germanic helpaną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelb- — help.

help (Afrikaans): to help

Definitions

  1. to help

Ancestry of “help”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchhelpento help; to provide, to supply; to get hooked, to...
2Middle Dutchhelpento help, to aid, to assist; to be helpful, to be...
3Old Dutchhelpanto help, to assist
4Proto-West Germanichelpanto help
5Proto-Germanichelpanąto help
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelb-help
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelb- →Every word from Proto-Germanic helpaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic helpan →