Where does “delve” come from?
delve (Middle English) comes from Old English delfan, from Proto-West Germanic delban, from Proto-Germanic delbaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰelbʰ- — to dig, excavate.
delve (Middle English): Alternative form of delven; Alternative form of...
Definitions
- Alternative form of delven; Alternative form of...
Ancestry of “delve”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | delfan | to dig; to dig up, excavate |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | delban | to dig |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | delbaną | to dig, hollow out |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰelbʰ- | to dig, excavate |
Words derived from “delve”