Etymology Map
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Hale

3 stages from Old Norse to English.

Today it means strong and healthy, especially of an old person

Where does the word "hale" come from? It comes from Old Norse heill, passing through Middle English before entering English (1500s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
heill
Old Norse · medieval
"whole, healthy"
healthy, whole; the same word as Old English 'hāl', which became 'whole'
2
Stage 2 of 3
hail / hale
Middle English · 1200s
"healthy"
the northern, Norse-coloured form of 'whole'
3
Stage 3 of 3
hale
English · 1500s
"healthy"
survives mostly in 'hale and hearty'
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Read the full story

Hale’s story begins in Old Norse: heill meant “whole, healthy.” Healthy, whole; the same word as Old English 'hāl', which became 'whole'. By 1200s, the word had taken hold in Middle English as hail / hale. The northern, Norse-coloured form of 'whole'. It reached English by 1500s as hale. Survives mostly in 'hale and hearty'. Today, hale means strong and healthy, especially of an old person.