Where does “ælmes-feoh” come from?
ælmes-feoh (Old English) comes from Old English feoh, from Proto-Germanic fehu, from Proto-Indo-European péḱu, from Proto-Indo-European peḱ- — to pluck; livestock; wealth.
Ancestry of “ælmes-feoh”, step by step
ælmes-feoh traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English feoh
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | feoh | money; livestock, cattle; property |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | fehu | livestock, cattle; property; name of the F-rune |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | péḱu | livestock |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | peḱ- | to pluck; livestock; wealth |
via Old English ælmesse
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | ælmesse | alms |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *alemōsinā | alms |