Where does “kælf” come from?

kælf (Middle English) comes from Old English cælf, from Old English ċealf, from Proto-West Germanic kalb, from Proto-Germanic kalbaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷolbʰo — womb, animal young.

Ancestry of “kælf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishcælfAlternative form of ċealf
2Old Englishċealfcalf (young cow)
3Proto-West Germanickalbcalf
4Proto-Germanickalbazcalf
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷolbʰowomb, animal young
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷolbʰoEvery word from Proto-Germanic kalbazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic kalb