English
horseheal
Horseheal comes from Middle English horshelne ‘elecampane’, and goes back to Old English horselene.
- Old Englishc. 450–1150horselene‘wild elecampane’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500horshelne‘elecampane’
- Englishtodayhorseheal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Old Englishc. 450–1150horselene‘wild elecampane’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500horshelne‘elecampane’
- Englishtodayhorseheal
A compound of hors ‘horse’ + elene ‘elecampane’
Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- ‘to run’
Proto-Germanic *hrussą ‘horse’
Proto-West Germanic *hross ‘horse’
Old English hors ‘horse’
Proto-Indo-European *Hish₂-
Ancient Greek ἰνάω ‘to purify’
Latin inula ‘elecampane’
Medieval Latin enula
Proto-West Germanic *elunā ‘elecampane’
Old English elene ‘elecampane’
The story
The compound was later reinterpreted as being formed of horse + heal, as it was supposed to cure diseases of horses.
Every English word from Old English horselene
Today it means
noun The plant elecampane.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Old English horselene / horseheal