Where does “qualm” come from?

qualm (Middle English) comes from Old English cwealm, from Proto-West Germanic kwalm, from Proto-Germanic kwalmaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷolH-mos, from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

qualm (Middle English): Plague, disease or sickness; that which afflicts;...

Definitions

  1. Plague, disease or sickness; that which afflicts;...

Ancestry of “qualm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishcwealmdeath; slaughter, plague, pestilence
2Proto-West Germanickwalmkilling, murder
3Proto-Germanickwalmaz—
4Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷolH-mos—
5Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing

Words derived from “qualm”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷolH-mos →Every word from Proto-Germanic kwalmaz →