Where does “bolster” come from?

bolster (Middle English) comes from Old English bolster, from Old Norse bólstr, from Proto-Germanic bulstraz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.

bolster (Middle English): A soft stuffed bag to lie or lean on; a cushion...

Definitions

  1. A soft stuffed bag to lie or lean on; a cushion...

Ancestry of “bolster”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishbolsterpillow
2Old Norsebólstrbolster, pillow
3Proto-Germanicbulstrazbolster, pillow, cushion
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰelǵʰ-to swell
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “bolster”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵʰ- →