Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gallow” come from?

gallow (English) comes from Middle English galowen, from Old English *gǣlwan.

gallow (English): To frighten or terrify

Definitions

  1. To frighten or terrify

Ancestry of “gallow”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishgalowen—
2Old English*gǣlwan—
Every word from Old English *gǣlwan →