English
helve
Helve comes from Old English hielfe ‘handle’, and goes back to Proto-Germanic *halbiją.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*halbijąreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hielfe‘handle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500helfe
- Englishearliest quotation 1917helve
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*halbijąreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150hielfe‘handle’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500helfe
- Englishearliest quotation 1917helve
Earliest quotation: 1917, Robert Frost: “It was the bad ax-helve someone had sold me—…”
The story
Probably cognate to English half, although Etymonline claims relation from halter and helm.
Every English word from Proto-Germanic *halbiją
Today it means
noun The handle or haft of a tool or weapon.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *halbiją / helve