Where does “sevenfold” come from?
Sevenfold derives from Middle English sevenefold and Old English seofonfeald, combining Old English seofon (seven) with -feald, from Proto-Germanic -falþaz meaning fold or layer, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pel- meaning to fold or spread.
sevenfold (English): Seven times as much; multiplied by seven; Having...
Definitions
- Seven times as much; multiplied by seven; Having...
Ancestry of “sevenfold”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | seofonfeald | sevenfold |
| 2 | Old English | feald | occasion |
| 3 | Alemannic German | Fald | — |
| 4 | Middle High German | vëlt | — |
| 5 | Old High German | feld | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | felþu | field |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | felþuz | field, plain |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pelh₂- | to approach |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |