Where does “półka” come from?
półka (Polish) comes from Czech Polka, from Czech půlka, from Czech půl, from Old Czech pól, from Proto-Slavic polъ, from Proto-Indo-European (s)pelH- — to split off, separate; to chop, to separate.
Ancestry of “półka”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Czech | Polka | female Pole |
| 2 | Czech | půlka | half; cheek |
| 3 | Czech | půl | half |
| 4 | Old Czech | pól | — |
| 5 | Proto-Slavic | polъ | side, flank; half; member of a pair of options →... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)pelH- | to split off, separate; to chop, to separate |