kel-

I. kel-¹

To cover, conceal, save. Oldest form *k̑el-, becoming *kel- in centum languages.

Derivatives include hell, hole, holster, apocalypse, and eucalyptus.

I. O-grade form *kol-.

1.

a. hell, from Old English hell;

b. Hel, from Old Norse Hel, the underworld, goddess of death. Both a and b from Germanic *haljō, the underworld (< “concealed place”).

2.

a. hall, from Old English heall, hall;

b. Valhalla, from Old Norse höll, hall. Both a and b from Germanic *hallō, covered place, hall.

3. Suffixed form *kol-eyo-. coleus; coleopteran, coleoptile, coleorhiza, from Greek koleon, koleos, sheath.

II. Zero-grade form *kl̥-.

1.

a. hold², hull, from Old English hulu, husk, pod (< “that which covers”);

b. hole, from Old English hol, a hollow;

c. hollow, from Old English holh, hole, hollow;

d. haugh, from Old English healh, secret place, small hollow. a-d all from Germanic *hul-.

2.

a. holster, from Old High German hulft, covering;

b. housing², from Medieval Latin hultia, protective covering. Both a and b from suffixed Germanic form *hulftī-.

3. Extended form *kl̥ə- becoming *klā-. clandestine, from Latin clam, in secret.

4. Suffixed variant form *kal-up-yo-. Calypso¹, calyptra; apocalypse, eucalyptus, from Greek kaluptein, to cover, conceal.

III. Full-grade form *kel-.

1.

a. helm², from Old English helm, protection, covering;

b. helmet, from Middle English helmet, helmet, from a source akin to Frankish *helm, helmet. Both a and b from Germanic *helmaz, “protective covering.”

2. occult, from Latin occulere < *ob-kel- (past participle occultus), to cover over (ob-, over; see epi).

3. Suffixed form *kel-os-. color, from Latin color, color, hue (< “that which covers”).

4. Suffixed form *kel-nā-. cell, cella, cellar, cellarer; rathskeller, from Latin cella, storeroom, chamber.

5. Suffixed form *kel-yo-. cilium, seel; supercilious, supercilium, from Latin cilium, lower eyelid.

IV. Lengthened-grade form *kēl-. conceal, from Latin cēlāre, to hide, from suffixed form *kēl-ā-.

 

[Pokorny 4. k̑el- 553.]

  II. kel-²

To be prominent; hill.

1. Zero-grade form *kl̥-.

a. hill, from Old English hyll, hill, from suffixed Germanic form *hul-ni-;

b. holm, from Old Norse hōlmr, islet in a bay, meadow, from suffixed Germanic form *hul-ma-.

2. Suffixed form *kel-d-. excel, from Latin excellere, to raise up, elevate, also to be eminent (ex-, up out of; see eghs).

3. O-grade form *kol-.

a. colophon, from Greek kolophōn, summit;

b. suffixed form *kol(u)men-. culminate, from Latin culmen, top, summit;

c. extended and suffixed form *kolumnā-. colonel, colonnade, colonnette, column, from Latin columna, a projecting object, column.

 

[Pokorny 1. kel- 544.]

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