Where does “javel” come from?
javel (Old French) comes from Vulgar Latin gabalus, from Gaulish gabulum, from Proto-Celtic gablā, from Proto-Indo-European gʰeh₁bʰ- — to grab, take.
Ancestry of “javel”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Vulgar Latin | gabalus | a gallows, gibbet; a cross; a fork |
| 2 | Gaulish | gabulum | — |
| 3 | Proto-Celtic | gablā | fork |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰeh₁bʰ- | to grab, take |
Words derived from “javel”