child

child · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gel-“to ball up, amass”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ǵelt-“womb”
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*kelþaz“womb; fetus”
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*kilþ
5. Old English · inherited fromċild
6. Middle English · inherited fromchild
7. English todaychild

From Middle English child, from Old English ċild, from Proto-West Germanic *kilþ, *kelþ, from Proto-Germanic *kelþaz (“womb; fetus”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵelt- (“womb”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gel- (“to ball up, amass”). Cognate with Danish kuld (“brood, litter”), Swedish kull (“brood, litter”), Icelandic kelta, kjalta (“lap”), Gothic 𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌸𐌴𐌹 (kilþei, “womb”), Sanskrit जर्त (jarta), जर्तु (jártu, “vulva”).

child · verb²

1. Middle English · inherited fromchilden
2. English todaychild

From Middle English childen, from the noun child.

Words from the same roots