Where does “smallholding” come from?

smallholding (English) comes from English holding, from English hold, from English hole, from Middle English hole, from Old English hol, from Proto-West Germanic hol, from Proto-Germanic hulą, from Proto-Germanic hulaz — to cover; to incline.

smallholding (English): A small farm

Definitions

  1. A small farm

Ancestry of “smallholding”, step by step

smallholding traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English holding

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishholdingSomething that one owns, especially stocks and...
2EnglishholdTo grasp or grip; To contain or store; "To...
3EnglishholeA hollow place or cavity; an excavation; a pit;...
4Middle Englishholehealthy; safe; whole, complete, full
5Old Englishhola hole, a hollow; calumny; slander
6Proto-West Germanicholhollow; hole
7Proto-Germanichuląa hollow; depression; hole
8Proto-Germanichulazhollow
9Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

via English Small

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishSmallNot large or big; insignificant; few in number
2Middle EnglishsmalSmall, miniscule; Little, few, scarce; Ground...
3Old Englishsmælnarrow, slim; not broad; slender; not thick;...
4Proto-West Germanicsmalsmall
5Proto-Germanicsmalazsmall
6Proto-Indo-European(s)mal-small; little
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel-Every word from Proto-Germanic hulazEvery word from Proto-Germanic hulą