Where does “akilleshæl” come from?

akilleshæl (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk hæl, from Old Norse hæll, from Proto-Germanic hanhilaz, from Proto-Germanic hanhaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱenk- — to hang.

akilleshæl (Norwegian Nynorsk): an Achilles heel

Definitions

  1. an Achilles heel

Ancestry of “akilleshæl”, step by step

akilleshæl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Nynorsk hæl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskhæla heel
2Old Norsehællheel
3Proto-Germanichanhilazheel
4Proto-Germanichanhazheel
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱenk-to hang

via Norwegian Nynorsk Akilles

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian NynorskAkilles—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱenk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hanhaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic hanhilaz →