Where does “välbekant” come from?

välbekant (Swedish) comes from Swedish väl, from Old Swedish hval, from Old Norse hvalr, from Proto-Germanic hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos — large fish; sheatfish.

välbekant (Swedish): well-known, familiar, famous

Definitions

  1. well-known, familiar, famous

Ancestry of “välbekant”, step by step

välbekant traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish väl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishvälwell; accurately, completely, to a significant...
2Old Swedishhvalwhale
3Old Norsehvalrwhale
4Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish

via Swedish bekant

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishbekantknown, familiar
2Germanbekanntknown, familiar; past participle of bekennen
3Germanbekennento confess; to plead
4Middle High Germanbekennen—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwalaz →Every word from Old Norse hvalr →
välbekant — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer