Where does “value” come from?
value (Old French) comes from Old French valoir, from Latin valeō, from Proto-Italic walēō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.
Ancestry of “value”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old French | valoir | to have value; to be worth |
| 2 | Latin | valeō | to have strength, influence, power; to avail |
| 3 | Proto-Italic | walēō | to be strong |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wl̥h₁éh₁yeti | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂welh₁- | to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool |