Where does “wẹ̄lden” come from?
wẹ̄lden (Middle English) comes from Old English wealdan, from Germanic *waldan, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.
Ancestry of “wẹ̄lden”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | wealdan | to control; to wield; to rule |
| 2 | Germanic | *waldan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | waldaną | to rule |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | waldʰ- | to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess |