Where does “kobold” come from?

kobold (English) comes from German Kobold, from Middle High German holt, from Old High German hold, from Proto-West Germanic *holþ, from Proto-Germanic hulþaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

kobold (English): An ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that...

Definitions

  1. An ambivalent, sometimes vindictive, spirit that...

Ancestry of “kobold”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKoboldkobold, goblin
2Middle High Germanholtgoblin
3Old High Germanholdfriendly, loyal
4Proto-West Germanic*holþgracious
5Proto-Germanichulþazinclined, favourable; gracious, devoted, loyal;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →