Where does “helft” come from?
helft (Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch helft, from Old Dutch helvida, from Proto-Germanic halbiþō, from Proto-Germanic halbaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
helft (Dutch): half
Ancestry of “helft”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | helft | — |
| 2 | Old Dutch | helvida | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | halbiþō | half |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | halbaz | half |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kelH- | to cut; to split, to separate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |