Etymology Explorer › Middle English

Where does “whelen” come from?

whelen (Middle English) comes from Middle English whel, from Old English hwēol, from Proto-Germanic hweulō, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷléh₂, from Proto-Indo-European kʷékʷlos, from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- — to turn.

whelen (Middle English): To rotate; move in a circular motion; To stretch...

Definitions

  1. To rotate; move in a circular motion; To stretch...

Ancestry of “whelen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishwhel—
2Old Englishhwēol—
3Proto-Germanichweulōnominative/vocative/accusative plural of *hwehwlą
4Proto-Indo-Europeankʷékʷléh₂—
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷékʷloswheel; circle
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷel-to turn
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷel- →