Where does “whelven” come from?
whelven (Middle English) comes from Old English hwielfan, from Proto-West Germanic *hwalbijan, from Proto-Germanic *hwalbijaną, from Proto-Germanic *hwalbaz — curved, vaulted.
whelven (Middle English): to invert, turn upside down
Definitions
- to invert, turn upside down
Ancestry of “whelven”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | hwielfan | to arch, curve, bend |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *hwalbijan | to cause to turn over |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | *hwalbijaną | to cause to turn over |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | *hwalbaz | curved, vaulted |