Where does “vel” come from?

vel (Middle English) comes from Old English fell, from Proto-Germanic fellą, from Proto-Indo-European pel- — to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold.

Ancestry of “vel”, step by step

vel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English fell

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfellfell; skin
2Proto-Germanicfelląskin, hide
3Proto-Indo-Europeanpel-to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold

via Old English fel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishfel—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pel- →Every word from Proto-Germanic fellą →Every word from Old English fell →