Where does “old” come from?

old (Middle English) comes from Old English ald, from Proto-Germanic *ald, from Proto-Germanic aldaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eltós, from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- — to grow, nourish.

old (Middle English): old; long extant or existent

Definitions

  1. old; long extant or existent

Ancestry of “old”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old EnglishaldAlternative form of eald
2Proto-Germanic*ald—
3Proto-Germanicaldazold, grown up
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eltós—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂él-to grow, nourish

Words derived from “old”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂él- →
old — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer