Where does “yule” come from?
Yule comes from Middle English yol, from Old English ġeōl, from Proto-Germanic jeulō, from Proto-Indo-European yekə-, of uncertain ultimate origin and meaning.
yule (English): Christmas
Ancestry of “yule”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | yol | — |
| 2 | Old English | ġeōl | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | jeulō | nominative/vocative/accusative plural of *jehwlą |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | jehwlą | festivity, celebration; Yule |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | yekə- | joke, play |
Words derived from “yule”