Where does “anvil” come from?

Anvil comes from Middle English anfilt, from Old English anfilt, of uncertain origin and meaning.

anvil (English): A heavy iron block used in the blacksmithing...

Definitions

  1. A heavy iron block used in the blacksmithing...

Ancestry of “anvil”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishanfilt—
2Old Englishanfiltanvil
3Proto-West Germanicanafaltanvil
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpelh₂-t-shaken, beaten
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpelh₂-to approach
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

Words derived from “anvil”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European pelh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European pelh₂-t- →