Where does “whirl” come from?
Whirl comes from Middle English whirlen, from Middle English whervelen, from Old English hweorflian, from Old English hweorfan meaning to turn or move in a circle, from Proto-Germanic hwerbaną, from Proto-Indo-European kʷerp-.
whirl (English): To rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly; To have...
Definitions
- To rotate, revolve, spin or turn rapidly; To have...
Ancestry of “whirl”, step by step
whirl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English whirlen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | whirlen | — |
| 2 | Middle English | whervelen | — |
| 3 | Old English | hweorflian | — |
| 4 | Old English | hweorfan | to turn, change; to depart, go, proceed; to... |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hwerbaną | to turn; turn around; to move; move about; to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷerp- | to turn; to whirl, to twist |
via Old Norse hvirfla
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | hvirfla | to whirl, spread |