Where does “hand-hole” come from?

hand-hole (English) comes from English Hand, from Middle English hond, from Old English hand, from Proto-West Germanic handu, from Swedish hand, from Old Swedish hand, from Old Norse hǫnd, from Proto-Germanic handuz — hand.

hand-hole (English): A small hole in a steam boiler for the insertion...

Definitions

  1. A small hole in a steam boiler for the insertion...

Ancestry of “hand-hole”, step by step

hand-hole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Hand

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHandThe part of the forelimb below the forearm or wrist in a human, and the corresponding part in many other animals
2Middle Englishhondhand; Alternative form of hound
3Old EnglishhandA hand
4Proto-West Germanichanduhand
5SwedishhandA hand; A hand; the set of cards held by a player
6Old SwedishhandA hand; A direction; A behalf
7Old Norsehǫndhand
8Proto-Germanichanduzhand

via English hole

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
2Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
3Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
4Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
5Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
6Proto-Germanichulazhollow
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline
Every word from Proto-Germanic handuzEvery word from Old Norse hǫndEvery word from Old Swedish hand