Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “troll” come from?

Troll comes from Old Norse trǫll, from Proto-Germanic truzlą, from Proto-Indo-European derǝ-, a word of uncertain original meaning.

troll (English): A supernatural being of varying size, now...

Definitions

  1. A supernatural being of varying size, now...

Ancestry of “troll”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishtrolltroll
2Old Norsetrǫllwitch, mage, conjurer
3Proto-Germanictruzląa supernatural being; demon; fiend; giant;...
4Proto-Indo-Europeandreh₂-run; to run, escape

Words derived from “troll”

  • trolling
  • trolly
  • troller
  • trollish
  • trollable
  • trollery
  • trolllike
  • trollicious
  • trollbuddy
  • trollitis
  • trollee
  • trollishly
  • trollishness
  • backtroll
  • backtroller
  • trollfic
  • trollkind
  • countertroll
  • trolltard
  • weretroll
  • trollsome
  • trollistic
  • untrollable
  • trollism
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dreh₂- →