Where does “ældgammel” come from?

ældgammel (Danish) comes from Danish ælde, from Old Danish ældæ, from Old Norse elda, from Old Norse eldr, from Proto-Germanic ailidaz, from Proto-Germanic ailijaną, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eydʰ- — to ignite; fire.

ældgammel (Danish): very old, ancient

Definitions

  1. very old, ancient

Ancestry of “ældgammel”, step by step

ældgammel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish ælde

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishældeold age, oldness; age, cause to grow old
2Old Danishældæ—
3Old Norseeldato cause to be or appear old; to light, kindle a...
4Old Norseeldrfire
5Proto-Germanicailidazfire, pyre
6Proto-Germanicailijanąto kindle
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eydʰ-to ignite; fire

via Danish gammel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishgammelold
2Old Norsegamallold; old, aged; of a certain age
3Proto-Germanicgamalazold, weak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eydʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic ailijaną →Every word from Proto-Germanic ailidaz →