Where does “holly” come from?

Holly derives from Middle English holi and holy, from Proto-Germanic hailagaz, ultimately tracing to Proto-Indo-European ḱel-.

holly (English): Any of various shrubs or small trees, of the...

Definitions

  1. Any of various shrubs or small trees, of the...

Ancestry of “holly”, step by step

holly traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English holi

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishholiAlternative form of holy
2Old Englishhāliġholy
3Proto-West Germanichailagholy, sacred
4Proto-Germanichailagazholy, sacred
5Proto-Germanichailazwhole, unbroken, intact; entire, complete; hale,...
6Proto-Indo-European*kéh₂iloshealthy

via Middle English holie

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishholieAlternative form of holy
2Middle Englishholinholly
3Old Englishholeġn—
4Proto-West Germanichulisholly
5Proto-Indo-Europeankel-to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet

via Middle English holly

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishhollyAlternative form of holy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hailaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic hailagaz →