Where does “belle” come from?
belle (Latin) comes from Latin bellus, from Latin villus, from Latin vellus, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.
belle (Latin): well, neatly, perfectly; prettily, delightfully
Definitions
- well, neatly, perfectly; prettily, delightfully
Ancestry of “belle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Latin | bellus | beautiful, pretty, handsome; pleasant, agreeable,... |
| 2 | Latin | villus | hair, tuft of hair, shaggy hair |
| 3 | Latin | vellus | The wool shorn from a sheep; fleece; wool; The... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |