Where does “hail” come from?

hail (Middle English) comes from Old English hægl, from Proto-West Germanic *hagl, from Proto-Germanic haglaz, from Proto-Indo-European kagʰlos — pebble, hail.

hail (Middle English): Alternative form of hayle; Alternative form of...

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of hayle; Alternative form of...

Ancestry of “hail”, step by step

hail traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English hægl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhæglhail; the runic character ᚻ
2Proto-West Germanic*hagl—
3Proto-Germanichaglazhail; name of the H-rune
4Proto-Indo-Europeankagʰlospebble, hail

via Old Norse heill

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseheillhealth; omen, happiness; healthy
2Proto-Germanichailazwhole, unbroken, intact; entire, complete; hale,...
3Proto-Indo-European*kéh₂iloshealthy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kagʰlos →Every word from Proto-Germanic haglaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *hagl →
hail — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer