Where does “hole” come from?

hole (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Old Norse hola, from Old Norse holr, from Proto-Germanic hulaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

hole (Norwegian Bokmål): alternative form of hule

Definitions

  1. alternative form of hule

Ancestry of “hole”, step by step

hole traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse hola

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseholacave; to hollow
2Old Norseholrhollow
3Proto-Germanichulazhollow
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

via Old Norse hóll

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsehóllhill, hillock, knoll
2Proto-Germanic*huhalaz—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hulaz →Every word from Old Norse holr →