Where does “Valgrind” come from?
Valgrind (Old Norse) comes from Old Norse valr, from Proto-Germanic walaz, from Proto-Indo-European welh₃- — to hit, to strike.
Ancestry of “Valgrind”, step by step
Valgrind traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old Norse valr
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | valr | the dead, slain in battle; falcon, hawk |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | walaz | wounded; lich, corpse, dead body; battlefield |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | welh₃- | to hit, to strike |
via Old Norse grind
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | grind | a gate made of spars or bars; haven, dock;... |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | grindiz | fence |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrendʰ‑ | bar, beam |
Words derived from “Valgrind”