housel

housel · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱwen-“holy”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*hunslą“sacrifice”
3. Old English · inherited fromhūsl“housel, Eucharist, the Host, a sacrifice”
4. Middle English · inherited fromhousel
5. English todayhousel

From Middle English housel, from Old English hūsl (“housel, Eucharist, the Host, a sacrifice”), from Proto-Germanic *hunslą (“sacrifice”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwen- (“holy”). Cognate with Icelandic húsl (“housel”), Gothic 𐌷𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌻 (hunsl, “sacrifice, offering”), Proto-Slavic *svętъ (“holy, sacred”) (OED). The OED cites usage of the noun from the 10th to the 17th century. 19th century use is deliberately archaizing. The verb is attested from the 11th century, and in occasional usage persists into the 19th.

housel · verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*ḱwen-“holy”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*hunslōną“to sacrifice, offer”
3. Old English · inherited fromhūslian“to administer the sacrament”
4. Middle English · inherited fromhouselen
5. English todayhousel

From Middle English houselen, from Old English hūslian (“to administer the sacrament”), from Proto-Germanic *hunslōną (“to sacrifice, offer”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱwen- (“holy”). Cognate with Icelandic húsla (“to housel”), Old Swedish húsla (“to administer the Eucharist to”), Gothic 𐌷𐌿𐌽𐍃𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽 (hunsljan, “to offer, sacrifice”).

Housel · proper noun³

1. German · derived fromHauschild
2. English todayHousel

Americanized form of German Hauschild.

Words from the same roots