Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “fallen” come from?

fallen (German) comes from Middle High German vellen, from Old High German fellen, from Proto-Germanic *fallijan, from Proto-Germanic fallijaną, from Proto-Germanic fallaną, from Proto-Indo-European pōl-, from Slovincian pól, from Proto-Slavic polъ — to split off, separate; to chop, to separate.

fallen (German): to cut down, to fell; to precipitate; to make

Definitions

  1. to cut down, to fell; to precipitate; to make

Ancestry of “fallen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanvellen—
2Old High Germanfellen—
3Proto-Germanic*fallijan—
4Proto-Germanicfallijanąto cause to fall, to fell
5Proto-Germanicfallanąto fall
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpōl-—
7Slovincianpól—
8Proto-Slavicpolъside, flank; half; member of a pair of options →...
9Proto-Indo-European(s)pelH-to split off, separate; to chop, to separate

Words derived from “fallen”

  • fällt
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pelH- →