Etymology Explorer › Dutch

Where does “guillotine” come from?

guillotine (Dutch) comes from French guillotine, from French Guillotin, from French Guillot, from French Guillaume, from Old French Guillaume, from Frankish Willahelm, from Proto-Germanic Wiljahelmaz, from Proto-Germanic helmaz — to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab.

guillotine (Dutch): guillotine

Definitions

  1. guillotine

Ancestry of “guillotine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchguillotineguillotine; first-person singular present...
2FrenchGuillotin—
3FrenchGuillot—
4FrenchGuillaumeWilliam
5Old FrenchGuillaume—
6FrankishWillahelmWilliam
7Proto-GermanicWiljahelmaz—
8Proto-Germanichelmazhelmet
9Proto-Germanichalmazhalm; stem; stalk; straw; hay
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱolh₂mosstalk
11Proto-Indo-Europeanḱelh₂-to pierce, strike; to stick; prick; stab
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelh₂- →