Where does “elend” come from?
elend (German) comes from Middle High German elen, from Old High German elina, from Proto-West Germanic alinu, from Proto-Germanic alinō, from Proto-Indo-European Heh₃l-én-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European Heh₃l- — to bow, to bend; elbow.
elend (German): miserable; wretched; sordid
Definitions
- miserable; wretched; sordid
Ancestry of “elend”, step by step
elend traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle High German elen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | elen | — |
| 2 | Old High German | elina | ulna, ell, elbow; ell |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | alinu | forearm, ell |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | alinō | elbow; ell, cubit |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | Heh₃l-én-eh₂ | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | Heh₃l- | to bow, to bend; elbow |
via Middle High German ellende
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | ellende | foreign, displaced, miserable |
| 2 | Old High German | elilenti | — |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | alljas | else, otherwise, besides |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | aljas | of another, of something else |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂élyos | other, another |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂él- | to grow, nourish |