Where does “hellegast” come from?

hellegast (Old English) comes from Old English hell, from Proto-West Germanic hallju, from Proto-Germanic haljō, from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- — to cover; to incline.

hellegast (Old English): a spirit of Hell

Definitions

  1. a spirit of Hell

Ancestry of “hellegast”, step by step

hellegast traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English hell

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishhellhell
2Proto-West Germanichalljuthe netherworld, the underworld, hell
3Proto-Germanichaljōthe netherworld, the underworld, hell
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱel-to cover; to incline

via Old English gāst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishgāstbreath, soul, spirit, ghost, being
2Proto-West Germanicgaistghost, spirit
3Proto-Germanicgaistazterror, fear; spirit, ghost; mind
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeysd-anger, agitation
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱel- →Every word from Proto-Germanic haljō →Every word from Proto-West Germanic hallju →