hel

See also: Appendix:Variations of "hel"

Languages (21)

Cornish • Danish • Dutch • Icelandic • Limburgish • Middle English • Northern Kurdish • Norwegian Bokmål • Norwegian Nynorsk • Old Dutch • Old English • Old Frisian • Old Norse • Old Saxon • Papiamentu • Polish • Somali • Swedish • Welsh • West Frisian • Yola

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Page categories

Cornish

Etymology 1

From Old Cornish hel, from Old English heall, hall (“hall”), from Proto-West Germanic *hallu, from Proto-Germanic *hallō, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover”). Compare Welsh hâl.

Noun

hel f (plural helyow or helow)

1. hall

Derived terms

• hel an dre (“town hall”)
• hel sport (“gymnasium”)
• hel-godra (“milking parlour”)

Etymology 2

From Old Cornish hail, from Proto-Celtic *saglo-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *seǵʰ-. Cognate with Breton and Welsh hael.

Adjective

hel

1. benevolent, generous, hospitable, liberal

Etymology 3

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Noun

hel f

1. Revived Late Cornish spelling of hedhel (“plough handle, plough staff”)

Further reading

• “hel” in Cornish Dictionary / Gerlyver Kernewek, Akademi Kernewek.

Danish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /heːˀl/, [ˈhe̝ˀl]

Etymology 1

From Old Norse heill, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz (“whole, sound”), cognate with English whole, German heil, Dutch heel, Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌹𐌻𐍃 (hails).

Adjective

hel (neuter helt, plural and definite singular attributive hele)

1. whole, entire, complete, full (undivided, with all elements)
2. whole, intact, undamaged (not broken)
3. the hour, top of the hour (at the start of a new hour)
4. entire (Used to indicate that an amount is considered large.)
   • 2012, Jan Sonnergaard, Trilogien, Gyldendal A/S, →ISBN:

     Man kan være så frygteligt alene i måneder, hele måneder ad gangen, og gøre stort set alt hvad der står i éns magt for at komme i kontakt.

     One can be so terribly alone for months, entire months at a time, and do practically anything in one's power to get in contact.

   • 2012, Ib Melchior, Spionjæger - en dansk kontraspions bedrifter i den amerikanske hær under 2. verdenskrig, Lindhardt og Ringhof, →ISBN:

     Jeg så en mand, der holdt sin Soldbuch frem til samtlige GI'er, der gik forbi i en hel halv time, og ingen tog notits af ham.

     I saw a man who held out his Soldbuch to every single GI who want past him for an entire half hour, and no one took any notice of him.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

hel

1. imperative of hele

Dutch

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɦɛl/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: hel
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

From Middle Dutch helle, from Old Dutch hella, from Proto-West Germanic *hallju, from Proto-Germanic *haljō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide, conceal”).

Noun

hel f (plural hellen, diminutive helletje n)

1. (religion, mythology) hell, an infernal afterlife

   Synonyms: poel, jammerpoel

   Ik hoop dat je zal branden in de hel. ― I hope you will burn in hell.

2. (figurative) a terrible place or ordeal

   Hij maakte daarmee haar leven tot een hel. ― With that he made her life into a hell.

Derived terms

• hellemoer
• helleveeg
• hels

Descendants

• Negerhollands: hel, hei

Etymology 2

Probably borrowed from German hell (“shining, very light”).

Adjective

hel (comparative heller, superlative helst)

2. bright

   Synonym: helder

Declension

Declension of hel
uninflected	hel
inflected	helle
comparative	heller
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		hel	heller	het helst het helste
indefinite	m./f. sing.	helle	hellere	helste
	n. sing.	hel	heller	helste
	plural	helle	hellere	helste
definite		helle	hellere	helste
partitive		hels	hellers	—

Etymology 3

See hal.

Noun

hel n or f (plural hellen, diminutive helletje n)

1. alternative form of hal (“frozen spot”)

Etymology 4

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Verb

hel

1. inflection of hellen:
   1. first-person singular present indicative
   2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
   3. imperative

References

• van Veen, P.A.F.; van der Sijs, Nicoline (1997), Etymologisch woordenboek: de herkomst van onze woorden (in Dutch), Utrecht; Antwerpen: Van Dale Lexicografie, →ISBN

Icelandic

Etymology

From Old Norse hel, from Proto-Germanic *haljō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide, conceal”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈhɛːl]
• Rhymes: -ɛːl

Noun

hel f (genitive singular heljar, no plural)

1. hell (underworld), death

Usage notes

• The dative helju also occurs, mainly in the phrase heimta úr helju.
• The word is normally not used with suffixed article, but the genitive definite form, heljarinnar, occurs as an intensifier (meaning something like “hell of a”).

Declension

Declension of hel (sg-only feminine)

	singular
	indefinite	definite
nominative	hel	—
accusative	hel	—
dative	hel, helju1	—
genitive	heljar	heljarinnar1

¹In set phrases.

Related terms

• helvíti

Limburgish

Etymology 1

From Early Modern Limburgish hèl, from Middle Dutch helle.

Alternative forms

• hèl (older variant, Moelingen)
• Höll (Eupen, Krefeld)
• Héll (Eupen)

Noun

hel f

1. hell
2. (figuratively) a bad place to be

   Synonym: verdommenis

Etymology 2

From earlier helle.

Alternative forms

• héll (Eupen)
• hell (Krefeld)

Adjective

hel (comparative helder, superlative hels, predicative superlative 't hèls)

1. hard, tough, difficult
2. hard, rough, pointed
3. hard, heavy
4. hard, solid
5. loud

Middle English

Etymology 1

Noun

hel

1. alternative form of hele (“health”)

Etymology 2

Proper noun

hel

1. alternative form of helle

Northern Kurdish

Noun

hel f

1. solution

Synonyms

• çare
• çareserî

Derived terms

• hel bûn
• hel kirin
• helbûn
• helbûyî
• helkirin
• helkirî

Norwegian Bokmål

Etymology 1

From Old Norse heill (“whole, complete”), from Proto-Germanic *hailaz.

Alternative forms

• heil

Adjective

hel (neuter singular helt, definite singular and plural hele)

1. whole, unbroken

   Hun har ikke røykt på en hel uke.

   She hasn't smoked for a whole week.

   Jeg vet ikke, hele denne greia virker litt risikabel for meg.

   I don't know, this whole thing seems a little risky to me.

   Jeg tror ikke han forstår hvorfor, Harry, men han hadde det så travelt med å kveste sin egen sjel at han aldri tok seg tid til å forstå den uforliknelige kraft i en sjel som er uplettet og hel. (from page 463 of the Norwegian translation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Harry Potter og Halvblodsprinsen)

   I do not think he understands why, Harry, but he was in such a hurry to mutilate his own soul, he never paused to understand the incomparable power of a soul that is untarnished and whole. (from page 478 of the original British version of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince)

2. pure, all

   Jeg fikk tak i en genser i hel ull, den blir god å ha når vinteren kommer.

   I got myself a pure wool sweater, it'll come in handy when winter arrives.

3. (used as a noun) it, all of it, the whole/entire thing

   Og det beste ved det hele er at jeg slipper å se deg i to, hele måneder!

   And the best part of it is that I don't have to see you for two whole months!

Synonyms

whole, unbroken, pure

• frelst
• fullkommen
• fullstendig
• ganske
• gjennomgripende
• grundig
• helskinnet
• intakt
• komplett
• med hud og hår
• ren, rein
• reservasjonsløs
• samfull
• total
• ubeskåret
• ublandet
• ubrutt
• udelt
• urørt
• uskadd
• uskiftet
• utslagen

Derived terms

See also terms derived from heil

• den hele og fulle sannhet
• helautomatisk
• hele børsposter
• hele greia
• hele hurven
• hele sulamitten
• helhet
• helhjertet
• helmelk
• helskinnet
• helsvart
• heltall
• heltid
• heltrukket
• helårs
• i det hele tatt
• i det store og hele
• ikke i det hele tatt

Etymology 2

Verb

hel

1. imperative of hele

References

• “hel” in The Bokmål Dictionary.
• “hel” in The Ordnett Dictionary
• Harry Potter og Halvblodsprinsen, →ISBN. Norwegian translation of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by Torstein Bugge Høverstad.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, →ISBN, by J.K. Rowling

Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

From Old Norse hel, from Proto-Germanic *haljō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide, conceal”). Cognate with Faroese and Icelandic hel.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [hɛ̝ːl], [hɛ̝ːɽ]
• Homophone: Hel

Noun

hel f

1. death, underworld

   i hel ― to death

2. (Norse mythology) Hel (the realm of the dead who did not die in combat)

   Synonyms: helheim, daudeheim, dauderike

Derived terms

• i hel

Related terms

• Hel (“goddess of the death realm”)
• helauga
• helblakk (“pale as a corpse”)
• helborg (“death realm”)
• helfar (“cause of death”)
• helferd (“moment of death”)
• helgrind (“gates of the death realm”)
• helheim(en) (“(the) death realm”)
• helherre (“lord of the death, devil”)
• helhest (“horse with three legs and no head”)
• helhund (“Cerberus”)
• helhunger (“strong hunger felt before death”)
• helhær, helher (“army from the death realm”)
• heljar- (e.g. heljarkjøp “hell of a purchase”)
• helkjerring (“death goddess”)
• helkunst
• helmann (“sorcerer with help from the death realm”)
• helmaur, helmott (“itching from a deadly illness”)
• helnatt
• helorar (“bewilderment”)
• helord (“cruel words”)
• helsott (“deadly illness”)
• helstikke
• helsynt (“foreseeing one’s death”)
• heltroll, heltuss (“demon”)
• helvete (“hell”)

References

• “hel” in The Ordnett Dictionary
• “hel” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

Old Dutch

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz.

Adjective

hēl

1. healthy, wholesome

Inflection

Declension of hēl (a-stem)

strong declension
case	masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
nominative	hēl	hēl	hēl	hēla, hēle
accusative	hēlan, hēlen	hēla	hēl	hēla, hēle
genitive	hēles	hēlero	hēles	hēlero
dative	hēlin, hēlemo	hēlero	hēlin, hēlemo	hēlon
weak declension
case	masculine	feminine	neuter	plural
nominative	hēlo	hēla	hēla	hēlon
accusative	hēlon	hēlon	hēla	hēlon
genitive	hēlin	hēlon	hēlin	hēlono
dative	hēlin	hēlon	hēlin	hēlon

Synonyms

• gisunt

Descendants

• Middle Dutch: hêel
  • Dutch: heel
    • Afrikaans: heel
    • Berbice Creole Dutch: hele
    • Negerhollands: heel, hele, helle
    • Skepi Creole Dutch: helwel, he
    • → Saramaccan: híi
    • → Sranan Tongo: eri, heri, hele, heele, herheri
  • Limburgish: heil

References

• “hēl”, in Oudnederlands Woordenboek, 2012

Old English

Alternative forms

• hell

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /xel/, [hel]
• Rhymes: -el

Noun

hel f

1. alternative form of hell

Declension

Strong ō-stem:

	singular	plural
nominative	hel	hela, hele
accusative	hele	hela, hele
genitive	hele	hela
dative	hele	helum

Old Frisian

Etymology

From Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz, from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂ilos. Cognates include Old English hāl, Old Saxon hēl and Old Dutch heil.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈheːl/, [ˈhɛːl]

Adjective

hēl

1. whole

Descendants

• Saterland Frisian: heel
• West Frisian: hiel

References

• Bremmer, Rolf H. (2009), An Introduction to Old Frisian: History, Grammar, Reader, Glossary, Amsterdam: John Benjamins Publishing Company, →ISBN

Old Norse

Alternative forms

• (Old East Norse) hæl, hēl.

Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *haljō. Doublet of Hel.

To the same root as hylja (“to hide, to cover”) → to the idea that the dead reside below the ground.

Noun

hel f (genitive heljar, dative helju)

1. the underworld, the netherworld
   1. the death
   2. (Germanic paganism) Hel (the goddess of the same name, personifying death and the underworld)
   3. (Christianity) Hell

      Synonym: helvīti

Declension

Declension of hel (strong jō-stem)

feminine	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative	hel	helin	heljar	heljarnar
accusative	hel	helina	heljar	heljarnar
dative	hel, helju	helinni, heljunni	heljum	heljunum
genitive	heljar	heljarinnar	helja	heljanna

Note the -u in the dative singular.

Related terms

• helvíti
• í hel

Descendants

• Faroese: hel
• Icelandic: hel
• Norwegian Nynorsk: hel
  • → Norwegian Bokmål: hel
• Old Swedish: hæl, heel
  • Swedish: (archaic) hel, häl, häll
• ⇒ Old Norse: í hel, ī hæl — Old East Norse, ī hæl (“to death”)
  • Icelandic: í hel
  • Norwegian:
    • Norwegian Nynorsk: i hel
    • Norwegian Bokmål: i hjel
  • Old Swedish: i hæl
    • Late Old Swedish: ihiæl
      • Swedish: ihjäl
  • Old Danish: i hæl, (late) i hiel
    • Danish: ihjel

Further reading

• Zoëga, Geir T. (1910), “hel”, in A Concise Dictionary of Old Icelandic, Oxford: Clarendon Press; also available at the Internet Archive

Old Saxon

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *hallju, from Proto-Germanic *haljō, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel- (“to cover, hide, conceal”).

Noun

hel f

1. hell

Alternative forms

• hellja, hellia

Derived terms

• heldor
• hellifiur
• helligithwing
• helligrund
• helliporta
• helliwīti
• helsith

Descendants

• Middle Low German: helle
  • German Low German: Helle, Hölle, Hell, Höll
  • Westphalian:

    Sauerländisch: Helle

    Westmünsterländisch: Helle f, Hell m

  • Plautdietsch: Hal

Etymology 2

From Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz.

Adjective

hēl

1. whole, hale

Declension

Positive forms of hēl

Strong declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	hēl	hēl	hēl	hēle, hēla	hēla	hēl, hēla
accusative	hēlan, hēlen	hēla	hēl	hēla, hēle	hēla	hēl, hēla
genitive	hēles, hēlas	hēlara, hēlaro	hēles, hēlas	hēlaro, hēloro, hēlero	hēlaro, hēloro, hēlero	hēlaro, hēloro, hēlero
dative	hēlumu, hēlum, hēlun, hēlun, hēlon, hēlen, hēlan	hēlaro, hēlaru, hēlara	hēlumu, hēlum, hēlun, hēlun, hēlon, hēlen, hēlan	hēlun, hēlon, hēlum	hēlun, hēlon	hēlun, hēlon, hēlum
Weak declension
	singular			plural
	masculine	feminine	neuter	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	hēlo, hēla	hēla, hēle	hēla, hēle	hēlon, hēlun	hēlon, hēlun, hēlan	hēlon, hēlun
accusative	hēlon, hēlan	hēlun, hēlon, hēlan	hēla, hēle	hēlon, hēlun	hēlon, hēlun, hēlan	hēlon, hēlun
genitive	hēlen, hēlan	hēlun, hēlan, hēlen	hēlen, hēlan	hēlono, hēleno	hēlono	hēlono, hēleno
dative	hēlon, hēlen, hēlan	hēlun, hēlan	hēlon, hēlen, hēlan	hēlon, hēlun	hēlon, hēlun	hēlon, hēlun

Derived terms

• alohēl

Descendants

• Middle Low German: hêl, heil
  • Low German: hel, heel, heil

Etymology 3

From Proto-West Germanic *hail, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz, a noun of similar derivation to the above adjective.

Noun

hēl n

1. omen

Declension

hēl (neuter a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	hēl	hēl
accusative	hēl	hēl
genitive	hēles	hēlō
dative	hēle	hēlun
instrumental	—	—

Alternative forms

• hēli f

Descendants

• Middle Low German: hēl

Papiamentu

Etymology

From Dutch geel.

Adjective

hel

1. yellow

Polish

Chemical element (edit)
He Atomic number 2 hel
Classification data Period 1 Group 18 Block p-block Class noble gas
Previous: ← wodór, wodoród (obsolete) (H)
Next: lit (Li) →

Pronunciation

 

• IPA^(key): /ˈxɛl/

• (Greater Poland):
  • (Kociewie) IPA^(key): [ˈxɛl]

• Audio:

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛl
• Syllabification: hel
• Homophone: Hel

Etymology 1

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *sóh₂wl̥

Proto-Indo-European *sh₂wél(i)yos

Proto-Hellenic *hāwélios

Ancient Greek ἥλιος (hḗlios)

Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós

Proto-Italic *-ijos

Proto-Italic *-ios

Old Latin -ios

Latin -iusnom.

Latin -ium

New Latin hēliumlbor.

Polish hel

Learned borrowing from New Latin hēlium.

Noun

hel m inan (related adjective helowy)

1. helium (second lightest chemical element (symbol He) with an atomic number of 2 and atomic weight of 4.002602, a colorless, odorless, and inert noble gas)

Declension

Declension of hel

	singular
nominative	hel
genitive	helu
dative	helowi
accusative	hel
instrumental	helem
locative	helu
vocative	helu

Derived terms

nouns

• helowiec

Etymology 2

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Perhaps related to Hel”)

Noun

hel m inan

1. (Kociewie, Malbork) airy, high place

Alternative forms

• hél (Kociewie)

Further reading

• “hel”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[1] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “hel”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[2] (in Polish)
• hel in PWN's encyclopedia
• Dr Nadmorski (Józef Łęgowski) (1889), “hel”, in “Spis wyrazów właściwych gwarze malborskiej i kociewskiej”, in Wisła. Miesięcznik Geograficzno-Etnograficzny (in Polish), volume 3 z.4, page 744

Somali

Verb

hel

1. to like
2. to find

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Norse heill, from Proto-Germanic *hailaz.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /heːl/, [ˈheə̯l̪]

• Audio:

  (file)

Adjective

hel (comparative helare, superlative helast)

1. (only attributively) (the) whole

   Hela huset brann ner

   The whole house burned down

   Jag skulle kunna äta en hel elefant

   I could eat an entire elephant

2. whole (intact, not broken)

   Fönstret är helt

   The window isn't broken

3. (as a prefix) completely, totally, full, whole

Declension

Inflection of hel

Indefinite	positive	comparative	superlative1
common singular	hel	helare	helast
neuter singular	helt	helare	helast
plural	hela	helare	helast
masculine plural2	hele	helare	helast
Definite	positive	comparative	superlative
masculine singular3	hele	helare	helaste
all	hela	helare	helaste

¹ The indefinite superlative forms are only used in the predicative.
² Dated or archaic.
³ Only used, optionally, to refer to things whose natural gender is masculine.

Derived terms

• en hel del
• helböj
• helrör

Related terms

• helt

References

• “hel”, in Svensk ordbok [Dictionary of Swedish] (in Swedish)
• “hel”, in Svenska Akademiens ordlista [Wordlist of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)
• “hel”, in Svenska Akademiens ordbok [Dictionary of the Swedish Academy] (in Swedish)

Welsh

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɛl/
• Rhymes: -ɛl

Etymology 1

From Proto-Celtic *selgā, from Proto-Indo-European *selǵ- (“let loose, send”). Cognate with Old Irish selg.

Alternative forms

• hela, hely, hala

Verb

hel (first-person singular present helaf, not mutable)

1. (North Wales) to send, to drive

   Synonyms: danfon, gyrru, anfon

2. (North Wales) to chase, to pursue

   Synonyms: erlid, ymlid

3. (North Wales) to collect, to gather

   Synonyms: casglu, crynhoi

4. (North Wales) to frequent, to visit often

   ymweld

Conjugation

Conjugation of hel (literary)

	singular			plural			impersonal
	first	second	third	first	second	third
present indicative/future	helaf	heli	hela	helwn	helwch	helant	helir
imperfect (indicative/subjunctive)/ conditional	helwn	helit	helai	helem	helech	helent	helid
preterite	helais	helaist	helodd	helasom	helasoch	helasant	helwyd
pluperfect	helaswn	helasit	helasai	helasem	helasech	helasent	helasid, helesid
present subjunctive	helwyf	helych	helo	helom	heloch	helont	heler
imperative	—	hela	heled	helwn	helwch	helent	heler
verbal noun	hel
verbal adjectives	heledig heladwy

Conjugation of hel (colloquial)

inflected colloquial forms	singular			plural
	first	second	third	first	second	third
future	hela i, helaf i	heli di	helith o/e/hi, heliff e/hi	helwn ni	helwch chi	helan nhw
conditional	helwn i, helswn i	helet ti, helset ti	helai fo/fe/hi, helsai fo/fe/hi	helen ni, helsen ni	helech chi, helsech chi	helen nhw, helsen nhw
preterite	helais i, heles i	helaist ti, helest ti	helodd o/e/hi	helon ni	heloch chi	helon nhw
imperative	—	hela	—	—	helwch	—

Note: All other forms are periphrastic, as usual in colloquial Welsh.

Derived terms

• hel ei damaid (“to earn one's crust”)
• hel esgusion (“to make excuses”)
• helfa (“catch, haul”)
• helgi (“hound”)
• helwr (“hunter”)

Related terms

• hala

Etymology 2

Adjective

hel

1. h-prothesized form of el

Mutation

Mutated forms of el

radical	soft	nasal	h-prothesis
el	unchanged	unchanged	hel

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

West Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian helle, from Proto-West Germanic *hallju.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɛl/

Noun

hel c (plural [please provide])

1. hell

Further reading

• “hel”, in Wurdboek fan de Fryske taal (in Dutch), 2011

Yola

Etymology

From Middle English halle, from Old English hol.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /hɛl/

Adjective

hel

1. hollow

Derived terms

• Hel-teoun

References

• Jacob Poole (d. 1827) (before 1828), William Barnes, editor, A Glossary, With some Pieces of Verse, of the old Dialect of the English Colony in the Baronies of Forth and Bargy, County of Wexford, Ireland, London: J. Russell Smith, published 1867, page 45