Where does “-alt” come from?
-alt (Old French) comes from Frankish -wald, from Frankish wald, from Proto-Germanic waldaz, from Proto-Germanic waldaną, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.
Ancestry of “-alt”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Frankish | -wald | — |
| 2 | Frankish | wald | power, mastery, dominion; reigning; ruling |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | waldaz | leader |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | waldaną | to rule |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | waldʰ- | to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess |
Words derived from “-alt”