Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sixfold” come from?

Sixfold comes from Middle English sexfold, from Old English sixfeald, from Old English siex, from Proto-Germanic sehs, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pel-.

sixfold (English): Having six component parts; Times six, multiplied...

Definitions

  1. Having six component parts; Times six, multiplied...

Ancestry of “sixfold”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishsexfold—
2Old Englishsixfealdsixfold
3Old English-fealdsuffix denoting multiplication, or consisting of...
4Proto-West Germanic*-falþ—
5Proto-Germanic-falþaz-fold
6Proto-Indo-European-poltos-fold
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

Words derived from “sixfold”

  • sixfoldness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →