Where does “bold” come from?
Bold comes from Middle English bolde, from Old English bolt, from Proto-Germanic bultaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, a root meaning to swell or blow.
bold (English): A dwelling; habitation; building; Courageous,...
Definitions
- A dwelling; habitation; building; Courageous,...
Ancestry of “bold”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | bold | — |
| 2 | Old English | bald | Alternative form of beald |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | balþ | bold, brave |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | balþaz | strong, bold |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |
Words derived from “bold”