Where does “healf-” come from?
healf- (Old English) comes from Old English healf, from Proto-Germanic *halb, from Proto-Germanic halbaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
healf- (Old English): half
Definitions
- half
Ancestry of “healf-”, step by step
healf- traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old English healf
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old English | healf | side; half; partly |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | *halb | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | halbaz | half |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kelH- | to cut; to split, to separate |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |
via Proto-Germanic halba-
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-Germanic | halba- | half- |