English
holk
Holk comes from Old English holc ‘hole, cavity’, from Proto-Germanic *hulukaz ‘a hollow’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ‘to cover, hide’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱel-‘to cover, hide’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hulukaz‘a hollow’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*holukreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150holc‘hole, cavity’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500holk
- Englishtodaysame form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ḱel-‘to cover, hide’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*hulukaz‘a hollow’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*holukreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150holc‘hole, cavity’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500holk
- Englishtodaysame form
Formed from hole + -ock
Proto-Germanic *hulaz ‘hollow’
Proto-Germanic *hulą ‘hollow space’
Proto-West Germanic *hol ‘hollow space, cavity’
Old English hol ‘hole, hollow place’
Middle English hole
English hole
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- ‘to cover, hide’
hell, cell, hall, color, ceiling, hull, helmet, halt, hole, helm, holder, conceal, hollow, occult, clandestine, sari, holden, uphold, sala, cilia, recline, declination, declension, haugh, tricolour, seel, halberd, hele, holing, 36 more
Another origin of holk
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*holukōnreconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150*holcian‘to make hollow, gouge’reconstructed
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500holken
- Englishtodayholk
From Middle English holken, from Old English *holcian (attested in āholcian, āhlocian (‘to dig out’), from Proto-West Germanic *holukōn, derived from the noun above.
Today it means
noun A hollow cavity.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- / holk