hlence (Old English)

Where does "hlence" come from?

The Old English noun 'hlence', meaning 'a coat of mail' or 'chain mail'[1], originates from the Proto-West Germanic 'hlankijā'[1]. This term descends from the Proto-Germanic 'hlankiz'[1], a word rooted in 'hlankaz', which described something 'flexible' or 'slim'[2]. Ultimately, this lineage traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root '*kleng-' or '*klenk-', meaning 'to bend', 'wind', or 'twist'[1][3].

Open questions

• The connection to the Proto-Indo-European root remains theoretical as there are no certain cognates outside of the Germanic languages. [3]
• The potential extra Germanic cognates like Latin 'clingō' are only marginally attested. [3]

Full etymology tree

• hlence (Old English), 'a coat of mail, chain mail'
  • inherited *hlankijā (Proto-West Germanic)
    • inherited *hlankiz (Proto-Germanic), 'ring; chainlink'
      • derived *hlankaz (Proto-Germanic), 'flexible; bendsome'
        • derived *kleng- (Proto-Indo-European)

Ancestors

• *hlankiz (Proto-Germanic)

Sources

1. hlence (Old English) - Wiktionary
2. hlankiz (Proto-Germanic) - Wiktionary
3. hlankaz (Proto-Germanic) - Wiktionary

Updated August 2026

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Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris