Where does “väl” come from?

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

väl (Swedish): well; accurately, completely, to a significant...

Definitions

  1. well; accurately, completely, to a significant...

Ancestry of “väl”, step by step

väl traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Swedish hval

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Swedishhvalwhale
2Old Norsehvalrwhale
3Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
4Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish

via Old Norse val

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsevalchoice
2Old Norsevalrthe dead, slain in battle; falcon, hawk
3Proto-Germanicwalazwounded; lich, corpse, dead body; battlefield
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwelh₃-to hit, to strike

via Old Norse vél

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsevélartifice, craft
2Proto-Germanicwīlącraft, deceit
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwéy-—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanéǵh₂I

Words derived from “väl”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwalaz →Every word from Old Norse hvalr →