Where does “wheal” come from?

wheal (English) comes from Middle English whele, from Old English hwele — sore; boil; pimple.

wheal (English): A small raised swelling on the skin, often itchy,...

Definitions

  1. A small raised swelling on the skin, often itchy,...

Ancestry of “wheal”, step by step

wheal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English whele

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishwheleA wheel; A device that utilises a wheel to...
2Old Englishhwelesore; boil; pimple

via Cornish hwel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Cornishhwelmine
Every word from Old English hweleEvery word from Middle English whele
wheal — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer