Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “wall” come from?

wall (German) comes from German wallen, from Middle High German wallen, from Old High German wallan, from Proto-West Germanic wallan, from Proto-Germanic wallaną, from Proto-Indo-European wēlH-, from Proto-Indo-European welH- — to turn, to wind.

wall (German): singular imperative of wallen; first-person...

Definitions

  1. singular imperative of wallen; first-person...

Ancestry of “wall”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanwallento move violently; to flutter, palpitate; to go...
2Middle High Germanwallento ambulate
3Old High Germanwallanspin, twist, dance
4Proto-West Germanicwallan—
5Proto-Germanicwallanąto well up, spring out, bubble forth
6Proto-Indo-EuropeanwēlH-—
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanwelH-to turn, to wind
Every word from Proto-Indo-European welH- →