Etymology Explorer › Swedish

Where does “troll” come from?

troll (Swedish) comes from Old Norse trǫll, from Proto-Germanic truzlą, from Proto-Indo-European dreh₂- — run; to run, escape.

troll (Swedish): troll

Definitions

  1. troll

Ancestry of “troll”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsetrǫllwitch, mage, conjurer
2Proto-Germanictruzląa supernatural being; demon; fiend; giant;...
3Proto-Indo-Europeandreh₂-run; to run, escape

Words derived from “troll”

  • troll
  • trolling
  • trolly
  • troller
  • trollish
  • trollable
  • trollery
  • trolllike
  • trollicious
  • trollbuddy
  • trollitis
  • trollee
  • trollishly
  • trollishness
  • backtroll
  • backtroller
  • trollfic
  • trollkind
  • countertroll
  • trolltard
  • weretroll
  • trollsome
  • trollistic
  • untrollable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dreh₂- →