Where does “tall” come from?

tall (Gullah) comes from English tall, from Middle English tall, from Old English tæl, from Proto-Germanic talaz, from Ottoman Turkish طالاز, from Old Anatolian Turkish طلز, from Greek θάλασσα, from Ancient Greek θάλασσα — sea; the Mediterranean Sea; channel.

tall (Gullah): big

Definitions

  1. big

Ancestry of “tall”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtallHaving a vertical extent greater than the...
2Middle Englishtall
3Old Englishtælevil-speaking, calumny, disparagement, slander
4Proto-Germanictalazpliable, bendsome; submissive, hearsome, quick to...
5Ottoman Turkishطالازbillow, breaker, any large and foaming wave or undulating mass of water
6Old Anatolian Turkishطلزhurricane, storm
7Greekθάλασσαsea; storm
8Ancient Greekθάλασσαsea; the Mediterranean Sea; channel
Every word from Ancient Greek θάλασσα