Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “spillen” come from?

spillen (Middle English) comes from Old English spillan, from Proto-Germanic spillijaną, from Proto-Indo-European spel- — to break; to break off, split; to cleave, break.

spillen (Middle English): To slaughter, eliminate; to cause the death of;...

Definitions

  1. To slaughter, eliminate; to cause the death of;...

Ancestry of “spillen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishspillanto destroy; spill
2Proto-Germanicspillijanąto split
3Proto-Indo-Europeanspel-to break; to break off, split; to cleave, break

Words derived from “spillen”

  • spill
  • spilling
  • spilt
  • spillover
  • spillway
  • overspill
  • spiller
  • spillback
  • spilth
  • unspilt
  • spillable
  • spilleth
  • spillproof
  • prespill
  • unspillable
  • spilly
  • spilter
  • spillest
  • antispill
  • beanspilling
  • spillingly
  • spiller
  • spill
  • spille
Every word from Proto-Indo-European spel- →