Where does “kindle” come from?

Kindle comes from Middle English kindlen, from Old Norse kynda, from Old English -el and Old English -ol, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ǵenh₁-, the root for begetting or producing.

kindle (English): To start or light; To arouse or inspire; To...

Definitions

  1. To start or light; To arouse or inspire; To...

Ancestry of “kindle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishkyndelThe offspring or young of an animal
2Middle EnglishkyndeNature, disposition
3Middle English-nesseAffixed to adjectives to form abstract nouns...
4Old English-nesUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
5Proto-West Germanic-nassīUsed to form abstract nouns, usually from...
6Proto-Germanic-inassuz-ness
7Proto-West Germanic-ness, -th
8Proto-Germanic-į̄-th
9Proto-Indo-European-íh₂
10Proto-Indo-European-h₂Creates collective nouns, which refer to groups...

Words derived from “kindle

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -h₂
kindle — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer