Where does “deal” come from?
Deal comes from Middle English del, from Old English dǣlan, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰol- meaning to divide or separate.
deal (English): A division, a portion, a share; An indefinite...
Definitions
- A division, a portion, a share; An indefinite...
Ancestry of “deal”, step by step
deal traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English del
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | del | A part, proportion or section of something; The... |
| 2 | Old English | dǣl | part, share, portion; part, distribution |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | daili | part |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | dailiz | part, portion, deal |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰayl- | part, watershed |
via Middle English delen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | delen | To separate or split; to deal out; To have... |
| 2 | Old English | dǣlan | to divide, part |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *dailijan | to divide |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | dailijaną | to divide, to share, to deal |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰAil- | part, watershed |
via Old English dæl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | dæl | part; valley |