English
Scafell
Scafell comes from Middle English *Scalfel.
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*Scalfelreconstructed
- EnglishtodayScafell
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500*Scalfelreconstructed
- EnglishtodayScafell
A compound of skalli ‘baldness’ + fjall ‘peak’
Proto-Germanic *skallô ‘skull, cranium’
Proto-Norse *skalo
Old Norse skalli ‘baldness’
Proto-Indo-European *pels-
Proto-Germanic *falisaz ‘rock, cliff’
Old Norse fjall ‘peak’
first attested First recorded in 1578 as Skallfield; inherited from Middle English *Scalfel, from Old Norse skalli (“baldness”) + fjall (“peak”) (as stated in the etymology)
The story
First recorded in 1578 as Skallfield; inherited from Middle English *Scalfel, from Old Norse skalli (‘baldness’) + fjall (‘peak’). The form Scawfell predominated during the 19th century before the Ordnance Survey's adoption of the form Scafell displaced it; see Scafell#Name history.
Every English word from Middle English *Scalfel
Today it means
name A mountain in Cumbria, England.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Middle English *Scalfel / Scafell