Etymology Explorer › Middle Dutch

Where does “perle” come from?

perle (Middle Dutch) comes from French perle, from Italian perla, from Medieval Latin perla, from Latin perna, from Proto-Italic persnā, from Proto-Indo-European tpḗrsneh₂, from Proto-Indo-European sperH- — to kick.

Ancestry of “perle”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchperlepearl; first-person singular present indicative...
2Italianperlapearl; pill; mistake
3Medieval Latinperla—
4LatinpernaA haunch or ham together with the leg, gammon; A...
5Proto-Italicpersnā—
6Proto-Indo-Europeantpḗrsneh₂heel, upper thigh
7Proto-Indo-EuropeansperH-to kick

Words derived from “perle”

  • parel
  • parelhoen
  • parelmoer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sperH- →