Where does “julaften” come from?

julaften (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Norwegian Bokmål aften, from Danish aften, from Old Danish aftæn, from Old Norse aptann, from Proto-Germanic ēbanþs, from Proto-Indo-European h₁epi, from Proto-Indo-European h₁eps.

julaften (Norwegian Bokmål): Christmas Eve

Definitions

  1. Christmas Eve

Ancestry of “julaften”, step by step

julaften traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Bokmål aften

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålaftenevening, eve
2Danishaftenevening; night
3Old Danishaftæn—
4Old Norseaptannan evening
5Proto-Germanicēbanþsevening
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁epion, at, near
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁eps—

via Norwegian Bokmål jul

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian BokmåljulChristmas, also Yule
2DanishJulChristmas the time around 25 December
3Old Swedishiūlyule, midwinter season
4Old Norsejólyule, midwinter season
5Proto-Germanicjehwląfestivity, celebration; Yule
6Proto-Indo-Europeanyekə-joke, play

Words derived from “julaften”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁eps →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁epi →Every word from Proto-Germanic ēbanþs →