Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “helfe” come from?

helfe (Middle English) comes from Old English hielfe, from Proto-Germanic *halbiją, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

helfe (Middle English): Alternative form of helve

Definitions

  1. Alternative form of helve

Ancestry of “helfe”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhielfe—
2Proto-Germanic*halbiją—
3Proto-Indo-European(s)kelH-to cut; to split, to separate
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kel-to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...

Words derived from “helfe”

  • helve
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- →