| 1 | Old English | flān | barb, arrow, javelin, dart |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | flainaz | hook, prong, speartip, ord |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | pleyn- | metal arrow, spear-head, hook; metal arrow, hook,... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)pel- | to split in two, split in half; to speak with a... |