Where does “ale” come from?
ale (Middle English) comes from Old English ealu, from Proto-West Germanic ālu, from Proto-Germanic ēlō, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ólos, from Proto-Indo-European ēl- — awl, prong.
ale (Middle English): ale
Ancestry of “ale”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | ealu | beer, ale |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | ālu | awl |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | ēlō | awl |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁ólos | awl |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ēl- | awl, prong |