Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “gīsel” come from?

gīsel (Middle High German) comes from Old High German gīsal, from Proto-West Germanic gīsl, from Proto-Germanic gīslaz, from Proto-Germanic berhtaz, from Proto-Germanic hrabnaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱorh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱer-, from Proto-Indo-European kr̥- — army.

Ancestry of “gīsel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germangīsal—
2Proto-West Germanicgīslhostage
3Proto-Germanicgīslazhostage
4Proto-Germanicberhtazbright, shining
5Proto-Germanichrabnazraven
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱorh₂-—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱer-to grow, to make grow, to nourish; to plait,...
8Proto-Indo-Europeankr̥-to turn, to bend
9Proto-Indo-Europeanker-army

Words derived from “gīsel”

  • Geiselnehmer
  • Geiselnahme
  • Geisel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ker- →