Proto-Indo-European

*kelH-

‘to rise, be tall’

Every word has its own definition in its root. These English words share one: Proto-Indo-European *kelH-.

21 English words in this record descend from Proto-Indo-European *kelH-, most familiar first.

• hill ← hil ← hyll ← *hulli ← *hulliz
• excellent ← excellēns ← excellō ← *kelnō
• colonel ← coronnel ← colonnello ← columna
• column ← columne ← columne ← columna ← culmen
• excellence ← excellentia ← excellēns ← excellō ← *kelnō
• hale ← halen ← *halon ← *halōną
• excellency ← excellencie ← excellentia ← excellēns ← excellō
• culmination ← culminer ← culmināre ← culmen ← *kolamen
• holm ← *hulmaz
• excelsior ← excelsus ← excellō ← *kelnō
• culminate ← culminātus
• colonnade ← colonne ← colomne ← columne ← columna

More words from *kelH-

• columnar
• holme
• columella
• colliculus
• culmen
• colonnette
• columnella
• culminal
• culminicorn

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *kelH-