billow

Where does the word "billow" come from? It comes from Old Norse bylgja, and was adopted directly into English (1530s).

Billow’s story begins in Old Norse: bylgja meant “a large wave.” A large wave or swell of water. It reached English by 1530s as billow. Settled as the English word for a large swelling wave, later smoke or cloth. Today, billow means a large wave, or a swelling mass of smoke, cloth, or similar material.

1. Stage 1 · Old Norse · medieval bylgja "a large wave", a large wave or swell of water.
2. Stage 2 · English · 1530s billow "a large wave, or a swelling mass of smoke or cloth", settled as the English word for a large swelling wave, later smoke or cloth.