Where does “handholding” come from?

handholding (English) comes from English holding, from English hold, from English hole, from Middle English hole, from Old English hol, from Proto-West Germanic hol, from Proto-Germanic hulą, from Proto-Germanic hulaz — to cover; to incline.

handholding (English): The holding of hands; Strong personal support or...

Definitions

  1. The holding of hands; Strong personal support or...

Ancestry of “handholding”, step by step

handholding traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English holding

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishholdingSomething that one owns, especially stocks and...
2EnglishholdTo grasp or grip; To contain or store; "To...
3EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
4Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
5Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
6Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
7Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
8Proto-Germanichulazhollow
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-Every word from Proto-Germanic hulazEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulą
handholding — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer