Where does “tenfold” come from?
tenfold (Middle English) comes from Old English tīenfeald, from Old English feald, from Alemannic German Fald, from Middle High German vëlt, from Old High German feld, from Proto-West Germanic felþu, from Proto-Germanic felþuz, from Proto-Indo-European pelh₂- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.
Ancestry of “tenfold”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | tīenfeald | tenfold |
| 2 | Old English | feald | occasion |
| 3 | Alemannic German | Fald | — |
| 4 | Middle High German | vëlt | — |
| 5 | Old High German | feld | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | felþu | field |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | felþuz | field, plain |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pelh₂- | to approach |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |