Where does “hole” come from?
Hole comes from Middle English hole, from Old English hol, from Old English helan meaning to conceal, ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European roots related to covering or concealing.
hole (English): A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
Definitions
- A hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
Ancestry of “hole”, step by step
hole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English hole
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | hole | healthy; safe; whole, complete, full |
| 2 | Old English | hol | a hole, a hollow; calumny; slander |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hol | hollow; hole |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hulą | a hollow; depression; hole |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hulaz | hollow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |