Where does “els” come from?
Els derives from Middle English ells, from Latin el, from Proto-West Germanic alljas, from Proto-Germanic aljaz, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₂élyos, meaning other.
els (English): plural of el; Obsolete form of else
Definitions
- plural of el; Obsolete form of else
Ancestry of “els”, step by step
els traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English else
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | else | Other; in addition to previously mentioned items;... |
| 2 | Middle English | ells | — |
| 3 | Old English | elles | other, else; other, otherwise, different |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | alljas | else, otherwise, besides |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | aljas | of another, of something else |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂élyos | other, another |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂él- | to grow, nourish |