Where does “Gandálfr” come from?

Gandálfr (Old Norse) comes from Old Norse gandr, from Proto-Germanic gandaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰon-.

Gandálfr (Old Norse): elf with a magic staff

Definitions

  1. elf with a magic staff

Ancestry of “Gandálfr”, step by step

Gandálfr traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse gandr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsegandrmagic wand; stick, staff; magic, monster; magic...
2Proto-Germanicgandazstick, staff
3Proto-Indo-Europeangʷʰen-to strike, slay, kill
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰon-—

via Old Norse Álfr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old NorseÁlfr—
2Proto-Germanicalbizelf, fairy
3Proto-Indo-Europeanalbʰóswhite

Words derived from “Gandálfr”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰon- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷʰen- →Every word from Proto-Germanic gandaz →