Where does “hjälplig” come from?

hjälplig (Swedish) comes from Swedish -lig, from Old Swedish -līker, from Old Norse -ligr, from Proto-Germanic -līkaz, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

hjälplig (Swedish): somewhat acceptable (but not more than that), passable

Definitions

  1. somewhat acceptable (but not more than that), passable

Ancestry of “hjälplig”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedish-lig-ly, -like; forms adjectives
2Old Swedish-līker—
3Old Norse-ligrsuffix used to create adjectives, having the...
4Proto-Germanic-līkaz-like, -ly
5Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līką →Every word from Swedish -lig →