Where does “välbehövlig” come from?

välbehövlig (Swedish) comes from Swedish behöva, from Swedish behov, from Old Swedish behof, from Middle Low German behof, from Old Saxon *bihōf, from Proto-West Germanic *bihōf — necessity, need.

välbehövlig (Swedish): much needed

Definitions

  1. much needed

Ancestry of “välbehövlig”, step by step

välbehövlig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish behöva

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishbehövato need, to have use for
2Swedishbehova need, a requirement
3Old Swedishbehof—
4Middle Low Germanbehof—
5Old Saxon*bihōf—
6Proto-West Germanic*bihōfnecessity, need

via Swedish väl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishvälwell; accurately, completely, to a significant...
2Old Swedishhvalwhale
3Old Norsehvalrwhale
4Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish
Every word from Proto-West Germanic *bihōf →Every word from Old Saxon *bihōf →Every word from Middle Low German behof →