Etymology Explorer › Old Norse

Where does “hólmganga” come from?

hólmganga (Old Norse) comes from Icelandic hólmur, from Old Norse hólmr, from Proto-Germanic hulmaz, from Proto-Indo-European kl̥Hmos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱelH- — to freeze.

Ancestry of “hólmganga”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandichólmurislet; a designated place for a duel
2Old Norsehólmrisland
3Proto-Germanichulmazsmall island, hill, mound
4Proto-Indo-Europeankl̥Hmos—
5Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱelH-to freeze

Words derived from “hólmganga”

  • holmgang
  • hólmganga
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱelH- →