Where does “helga” come from?
helga (Swedish) comes from Old Swedish hælgha, from Old Norse helga, from Old Norse heilagr, from Proto-Germanic hailagaz, from Proto-Germanic hailaz, from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos — healthy.
helga (Swedish): to hallow, to keep holy, to worship
Definitions
- to hallow, to keep holy, to worship
Ancestry of “helga”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Swedish | hælgha | to hallow; to celebrate |
| 2 | Old Norse | helga | to hallow; to be sanctified; strong feminine... |
| 3 | Old Norse | heilagr | holy; inviolable, sacred |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hailagaz | holy, sacred |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hailaz | whole, unbroken, intact; entire, complete; hale,... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | *kéh₂ilos | healthy |