Where does “Abel” come from?
Abel (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch abel, from Old French able, from Latin habilis, from Latin -ilis, from Proto-Italic -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -elis, from Proto-Indo-European -lós — Forms agent nouns from verbal roots.
Ancestry of “Abel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | abel | — |
| 2 | Old French | able | able; capable |
| 3 | Latin | habilis | able to have/possess/maintain; having sufficient... |
| 4 | Latin | -ilis | -ile |
| 5 | Proto-Italic | -elis | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | -elis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | -lós | Forms agent nouns from verbal roots |