Where does “wealdan” come from?
wealdan (Old English) comes from Germanic *waldan, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.
wealdan (Old English): to control; to wield; to rule
Definitions
- to control; to wield; to rule
Ancestry of “wealdan”, step by step
wealdan traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Germanic *waldan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Germanic | *waldan | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | waldaną | to rule |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | waldʰ- | to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess |
via Proto-West Germanic *waldan
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | *waldan | to rule, to control |