Etymology Explorer › Norwegian Bokmål

Where does “jul” come from?

jul (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Danish Jul, from Old Swedish iūl, from Old Norse jól, from Proto-Germanic jehwlą, from Proto-Indo-European yekə- — joke, play.

jul (Norwegian Bokmål): Christmas, also Yule

Definitions

  1. Christmas, also Yule

Ancestry of “jul”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1DanishJul—
2Old Swedishiūl—
3Old Norsejólyule, midwinter season
4Proto-Germanicjehwląfestivity, celebration; Yule
5Proto-Indo-Europeanyekə-joke, play

Words derived from “jul”

  • julepresang
  • julemiddag
  • julehilsen
  • julestrømpe
  • juledag
  • julekort
  • lillejulaften
  • julaften
  • julestemning
  • juletre
  • julemat
  • juletid
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yekə- →