Where does “bale” come from?
bale (Middle English) comes from Old French bale, from Medieval Latin balla, from Frankish balla, from Proto-Germanic balluz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.
bale (Middle English): An evil or wrong act; a bad deed; Maliciousness,...
Definitions
- An evil or wrong act; a bad deed; Maliciousness,...
Ancestry of “bale”, step by step
bale traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.
via Old French bale
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | bale | rolled-up bundle, packet of goods |
| 2 | Medieval Latin | balla | — |
| 3 | Frankish | balla | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | balluz | round object, ball; ball of the hand, foot, etc |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |
via Old English bǣl
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | bǣl | pyre, funeral pyre; fire, flame; funeral pyre |