Where does “Troll” come from?
Troll (English) comes from Swedish troll, from Old Norse trǫll, from Proto-Germanic truzlą, from Proto-Indo-European dreh₂- — run; to run, escape.
Ancestry of “Troll”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Swedish | troll | troll |
| 2 | Old Norse | trǫll | witch, mage, conjurer |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | truzlą | a supernatural being; demon; fiend; giant;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dreh₂- | run; to run, escape |