Etymograph

English

ellen

Ellen comes from Middle English elne ‘power, strength, might’, from Proto-West Germanic *alljan ‘zeal’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aljaną‘zeal, power, courage’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*alljan‘zeal’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150ellen‘zeal, strength, power, vigor, valor, courage, fortitude, strife, contention’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elne‘power, strength, might’
  6. Englishtodayellen

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂el-‘to grow, nourish’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*aljaną‘zeal, power, courage’reconstructed
  3. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*alljan‘zeal’reconstructed
  4. Old Englishc. 450–1150ellen‘zeal, strength, power, vigor, valor, courage, fortitude, strife, contention’
  5. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500elne‘power, strength, might’
  6. Englishtodayellen

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- ‘to grow, nourish’

as, all, old, else, adult, ultimate, ultra, alternate, el, alter, alien, altitude, alumni, qualification, outrage, alt, altar, ou, elder, element, alpine, abolish, alto, alias, alum, adolescent, alibi, retaliate, alimony, alp, altruism, auld, ulterior, proletariat, parallax, exalt, foetal, althea, altimeter, coalesce, 67 more

Today it means

noun Zeal.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- / ellen

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