English
hele
Hele comes from Middle English helen ‘to cover’, from Proto-West Germanic *helan ‘to hide, conceal’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱel-‘to hide’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*helaną‘to conceal, stash, receive stolen goods’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*helan‘to hide, conceal’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150helan‘to conceal, cover, hide’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500helen‘to cover’
- Englishearliest quotation 1861hele
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱel-‘to hide’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*helaną‘to conceal, stash, receive stolen goods’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*helan‘to hide, conceal’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150helan‘to conceal, cover, hide’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500helen‘to cover’
- Englishearliest quotation 1861hele
Earliest quotation: 1861, The Journal of the Royal Agricultural So: “At the time of earthing the potatoes by the…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ‘to hide’
color, hall, cell, hell, holder, ceiling, hull, hollow, halt, holden, conceal, uphold, helmet, occult, clandestine, sari, helm, sala, cilia, recline, declination, tricolour, haugh, declension, halberd, seel, 37 more
through Proto-Germanic *helaną ‘to conceal, stash, receive stolen goods’
through Middle English helen ‘to cover’
Today it means
verb To hide, conceal, and keep secret, especially for a secret society (such as the masons).
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- / hele