Where does “илъ” come from?
илъ (Old East Slavic) comes from Proto-Slavic jьlъ, from Proto-Slavic jìlъ, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ī́ˀlus, from Proto-Indo-European (H)iHlús — mud; dark.
илъ (Old East Slavic): silt
Ancestry of “илъ”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Slavic | jьlъ | silt; clay |
| 2 | Proto-Slavic | jìlъ | — |
| 3 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | ī́ˀlus | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (H)iHlús | mud; dark |