Where does “hēlen” come from?
hēlen (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch helan, from Proto-West Germanic helan, from Proto-Germanic helaną, from Proto-Indo-European ḱéleti, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.
Ancestry of “hēlen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Dutch | helan | to hide, to conceal |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | helan | to hide, to conceal |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | helaną | to hide, to conceal |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱéleti | to be covering, hiding |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱel- | to cover; to incline |