Where does “kerl” come from?

kerl (German) comes from Middle Low German kerl, from Proto-Germanic karilaz, from Proto-Germanic karaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- — to grow old, to mature.

kerl (German): fellow, guy, chap, bloke

Definitions

  1. fellow, guy, chap, bloke

Ancestry of “kerl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Low Germankerl—
2Proto-Germanickarilazfree man, franklin; little man, young man
3Proto-Germanickaraz—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature

Words derived from “kerl”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic karaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic karilaz →