Where does “Troll” come from?

Troll (German) comes from Swedish troll, from Old Norse trǫll, from Proto-Germanic truzlą, from Proto-Indo-European dreh₂- — run; to run, escape.

Troll (German): troll; an ugly or boorish person

Definitions

  1. troll; an ugly or boorish person

Ancestry of “Troll”, step by step

Troll traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish troll

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishtrolla troll supernatural being
2Old Norsetrǫllwitch, mage, conjurer
3Proto-Germanictruzląa supernatural being; demon; fiend; giant;...
4Proto-Indo-Europeandreh₂-run; to run, escape

via Danish trold

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishtroldtroll; ogre; spitfire
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dreh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic truzlą →Every word from Old Norse trǫll →