Where does “billowous” come from?
billowous (English) comes from English billow, from Middle English bilwe, from Old Norse bylgja, from Proto-Germanic bulgijō, from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.
Ancestry of “billowous”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | billow | A large wave, swell, surge, or undulating mass of... |
| 2 | Middle English | bilwe | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | bylgja | wave, billow |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | bulgijō | wave, billow |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰelǵʰ- | to swell |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |