Etymology Explorer › Middle Dutch

Where does “gheil” come from?

gheil (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch geil, from Proto-West Germanic gail, from Proto-Germanic gailaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʰoylos — frothing, arrogant, tempestuous, violent, wanton;...

Ancestry of “gheil”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchgeil—
2Proto-West Germanicgailwanton; lustful
3Proto-Germanicgailazmerry, excited, lush, beautiful, lustful
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʰoylosfrothing, arrogant, tempestuous, violent, wanton;...

Words derived from “gheil”

  • beregeil
  • bevergeil
  • bloedgeil
  • geil
  • geilig
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰoylos →