Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “cwealm” come from?

cwealm (Old English) comes from Proto-West Germanic kwalm, from Proto-Germanic kwalmaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷolH-mos, from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- — to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing.

cwealm (Old English): death; slaughter, plague, pestilence

Definitions

  1. death; slaughter, plague, pestilence

Ancestry of “cwealm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-West Germanickwalmkilling, murder
2Proto-Germanickwalmaz—
3Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷolH-mos—
4Proto-Indo-EuropeangʷelH-to throw, reach, pierce; to hit by throwing

Words derived from “cwealm”

  • qualm
  • qualmish
  • qualmishness
  • qualmy
  • qualmishly
  • qualmless
  • qualmlessly
  • qualminess
  • qualm
  • cwalm
  • cwealmbære
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷelH- →