Where does “Shetland” come from?
Shetland (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from English shetland, from Scots Shetland, from Middle Low German Ȝetland, from Old Norse Hjaltland, from Old Norse hjalt, from Proto-Germanic heltą, from Proto-Indo-European kel- — to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet.
Ancestry of “Shetland”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | shetland | Lightweight, loosely twisted wool fabric |
| 2 | Scots | Shetland | — |
| 3 | Middle Low German | Ȝetland | — |
| 4 | Old Norse | Hjaltland | Shetland |
| 5 | Old Norse | hjalt | hilt |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | heltą | handle; hilt |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kel- | to hit; beat; to pierce, to stab; goblet |
Words derived from “Shetland”