Where does “unfold” come from?

Unfold comes from Middle English unfolden, from Old English unfealdan, combining the negating prefix un- with Old English fealdan (to fold), ultimately from Proto-Germanic falþaną and Proto-Indo-European pel- (to fold).

unfold (English): To undo a folding; To turn out; to happen; to...

Definitions

  1. To undo a folding; To turn out; to happen; to...

Ancestry of “unfold”, step by step

unfold traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English unfolden

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishunfolden—
2Old Englishunfealdanto unfold, unroll, open; to unfold by narrating
3Old Englishfealdanto fold
4Proto-West Germanicfalþanto fold
5Proto-Germanicfalþanąto fold
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

via English fold

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishfoldTo bend over so that it comes in contact with...
2Middle EnglishfoldA pen, enclosure, or shelter for domesticated animals
3Old Englishfald—
4Proto-Germanicfaludazan enclosed space, enclosure

Words derived from “unfold”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →