Where does “halt” come from?

halt (German) comes from German halten, from English halt, from Middle English halt, from Old English healt, from Proto-West Germanic halt, from Proto-Germanic haltaz, from Proto-Indo-European kol-d-, from Proto-Indo-European kel- — to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet.

halt (German): singular imperative of halten; stop!, wait!;...

Definitions

  1. singular imperative of halten; stop!, wait!;...

Ancestry of “halt”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanhaltento hold; to stop; to halt; to hold back; to...
2EnglishhaltTo limp; move with a limping gait; To stand in...
3Middle EnglishhaltLimping, lame, crippled
4Old Englishhealtlame, limping
5Proto-West Germanichaltlame, halt
6Proto-Germanichaltazlame, halt
7Proto-Indo-Europeankol-d-
8Proto-Indo-Europeankel-to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kel-
halt — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer