Where does “ellen” come from?
ellen (Middle English) comes from Old English ellen, from Proto-West Germanic alljan, from Proto-Germanic aljaną, from Proto-Indo-European h₁elh₂- — to drive, move, go.
ellen (Middle English): Alternative form of elne
Ancestry of “ellen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | ellen | strength, courage, bravery; elder tree; elder... |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | alljan | zeal |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | aljaną | zeal, eagerness; strength, courage; to cause to... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₁elh₂- | to drive, move, go |
Words derived from “ellen”