Etymology Explorer › Danish

Where does “karl” come from?

karl (Danish) comes from Old Norse Karl, from Proto-Norse ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ, from Proto-Germanic karilaz, from Proto-Germanic karaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- — to grow old, to mature.

karl (Danish): farmhand; groom, ostler; bloke, chap, guy

Definitions

  1. farmhand; groom, ostler; bloke, chap, guy

Ancestry of “karl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old NorseKarl—
2Proto-Norseᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ—
3Proto-Germanickarilazfree man, franklin; little man, young man
4Proto-Germanickaraz—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature

Words derived from “karl”

  • ungkarl
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- →