Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “clēċan” come from?

clēċan (Old English) comes from Old English clyċċan, from Proto-Germanic klukjaną, from Proto-Germanic klu-, from Proto-Indo-European glew-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

Ancestry of “clēċan”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishclyċċanto clutch, clench
2Proto-Germanicklukjaną—
3Proto-Germanicklu-to ball up, conglomerate, amass
4Proto-Indo-Europeanglew-Alternative form of *gley-; to amass,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →