Where does “wassail” come from?

Wassail comes from Old Norse ves heill, from Old Norse vesa and hailaz in Proto-Germanic meaning whole or uninjured, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European h₁és- meaning to be.

wassail (English): A toast to health, usually on a festive occasion;...

Definitions

  1. A toast to health, usually on a festive occasion;...

Ancestry of “wassail”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseves heillbe healthy!
2Old NorsevesaArchaic form of vera; to be
3Proto-Germanic*wesaną—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwes-to dress, clothe

Words derived from “wassail”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wes- →Every word from Proto-Germanic *wesaną →Every word from Old Norse vesa →