Where does “else” come from?

else (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch alisa, from Frankish aliʀu, from Proto-Germanic alizō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂élis-, from Proto-Indo-European el- — to bend; red, brown; hungry.

Ancestry of “else”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchalisa—
2Frankishaliʀualder
3Proto-Germanicalizōalder
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂élis-alder
5Proto-Indo-Europeanel-to bend; red, brown; hungry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European el- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂élis- →Every word from Proto-Germanic alizō →