Where does “child” come from?

child (Middle English) comes from Old English ċild, from Proto-Germanic kelþaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

child (Middle English): A baby, infant, toddler; a person in infancy; A...

Definitions

  1. A baby, infant, toddler; a person in infancy; A...

Ancestry of “child”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishċildchild, youth; fetus; female baby; child
2Proto-Germanickelþazfetus; newborn; infant; child
3Proto-Indo-Europeanǵelt-womb
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

Words derived from “child”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵelt- →Every word from Proto-Germanic kelþaz →