Etymology Explorer › Afrikaans

Where does “kaal” come from?

kaal (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch kaal, from Middle Dutch cale, from Old Dutch kalo, from Proto-Germanic kalwaz, from Proto-Indo-European gelH- — naked; head.

kaal (Afrikaans): bald

Definitions

  1. bald

Ancestry of “kaal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchkaalwithout defining features, smooth, bland, plain;...
2Middle Dutchcale—
3Old Dutchkalo—
4Proto-Germanickalwazbald
5Proto-Indo-EuropeangelH-naked; head
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gelH- →