Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “walk” come from?

Walk comes from Middle English walken, from Old English wealcian, from Proto-Germanic walkōną, from Proto-Indo-European wel-, meaning to turn or roll.

walk (English): To move on the feet by alternately setting each...

Definitions

  1. To move on the feet by alternately setting each...

Ancestry of “walk”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwalkto watch
2Old Englishwealcianto roll up, curl, twist; to wrinkle
3Frankishwalkōnto roll; to full
4Proto-GermanicwalkōnąTo roll about; wallow; To full
5Indo-European*wel-—

Words derived from “walk”

  • walking
  • sidewalk
  • walkway
  • boardwalk
  • catwalk
  • sleepwalking
  • walkthrough
  • Walkman
  • walkout
  • crosswalk
  • cakewalk
  • walkable
  • walkest
  • walkover
  • sleepwalk
  • walkup
  • moonwalk
  • walkability
  • ropewalk
  • spacewalk
  • bushwalking
  • fieldwalking
  • walkaway
  • streetwalking
Every word from Indo-European *wel- →