Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “wellen” come from?

wellen (German) comes from Middle High German wellen, from Old High German wellen, from Proto-West Germanic walljan, from Proto-Germanic wiljaną, from Proto-Indo-European wélyoyt, from Proto-Indo-European wélyeti, from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- — to choose; to want.

wellen (German): to wave

Definitions

  1. to wave

Ancestry of “wellen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanwellen—
2Old High Germanwellento want; to choose
3Proto-West Germanicwalljanto choose, to pick, to select
4Proto-Germanicwiljanąto want
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwélyoyt—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwélyeti—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwelh₁-to choose; to want

Words derived from “wellen”

  • welle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European welh₁- →