Where does “Old” come from?

Old (English) comes from Middle English old, from Old English ald, from Proto-Germanic *ald, from Proto-Germanic aldaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eltós, from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- — to grow, nourish.

Old (English): OS grid ref SP7873

Definitions

  1. OS grid ref SP7873

Ancestry of “Old”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englisholdold; long extant or existent
2Old EnglishaldAlternative form of eald
3Proto-Germanic*ald—
4Proto-Germanicaldazold, grown up
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eltós—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish

Words derived from “Old”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- →
Old — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer