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
- Any of various shrubs or small trees, of the...
Ancestry of “holly”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | holi | Alternative form of holy |
| 2 | Old English | hāliġ | holy |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | hailag | holy, sacred |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hailagaz | holy, sacred |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hailaz | whole, unbroken, intact; entire, complete; hale,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | *kéh₂ilos | — |
Words derived from “holly”