Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “keyholing” come from?

keyholing (English) comes from English keyhole, from English hole, from Middle English hole, from Old English hol, from Proto-West Germanic hol, from Proto-Germanic hulą, from Proto-Germanic hulaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

keyholing (English): present participle of keyhole; The tendency of a...

Definitions

  1. present participle of keyhole; The tendency of a...

Ancestry of “keyholing”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishkeyholeThe hole in a lock where the key is inserted and...
2EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
3Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
4Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
5Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
6Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
7Proto-Germanichulazhollow
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →