Where does “valfångst” come from?

valfångst (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.

valfångst (Swedish): whaling (whale hunting)

Definitions

  1. whaling (whale hunting)

Ancestry of “valfångst”, step by step

valfångst 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 fångst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishfångstreceipt; catch; take
2Middle Low Germanvangst—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwalaz →Every word from Old Norse hvalr →