Where does “karl” come from?

karl (Swedish) comes from Old Swedish karilʀ, from Old Norse Karl, from Proto-Norse ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ, from Proto-Germanic karilaz, from Proto-Germanic karaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- — to grow old, to mature.

karl (Swedish): man; husband; member of a work force, employed to...

Definitions

  1. man; husband; member of a work force, employed to...

Ancestry of “karl”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Swedishkarilʀa man
2Old NorseKarlman
3Proto-Norseᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ—
4Proto-Germanickarilazfree man, franklin; little man, young man
5Proto-Germanickaraz—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic karaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic karilaz →