Where does “manifold” come from?
manifold (Middle English) comes from Old English maniġfeald, from Proto-Germanic managafalþaz, from Proto-Germanic -falþaz, from Proto-Indo-European -poltos, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.
Ancestry of “manifold”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | maniġfeald | manifold, various, varied, complicated, numerous,... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | managafalþaz | various, diverse, manifold |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | -falþaz | -fold |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | -poltos | -fold |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |