Etymology Explorer › Old English

Where does “gal” come from?

gal (Old English) comes from Basque gailu, from Proto-Germanic gailō, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰēy- — to yawn, gape; to go.

gal (Old English): obstacle, barrier, marker; wanton; wicked; bad;...

Definitions

  1. obstacle, barrier, marker; wanton; wicked; bad;...

Ancestry of “gal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Basquegailudevice
2Proto-Germanicgailōa gap; crevice; chasm; ravine
3Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰēy-to yawn, gape; to go

Words derived from “gal”

  • goal
  • goalie
  • goalkeeper
  • subgoal
  • goaltender
  • goalpost
  • goaltending
  • goalsetting
  • goalless
  • goalkeeping
  • goalmouth
  • goalscorer
  • goaler
  • goalscoring
  • goalball
  • goalward
  • supergoal
  • multigoal
  • goalkicking
  • nongoal
  • goalkicker
  • goalside
  • antigoal
  • goallessness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰēy- →