wandelen (Dutch)

Where does "wandelen" come from?

The Dutch verb 'wandelen' meaning to stroll or walk descends from Middle Dutch 'wandelen'[1], which inherited the form from Old Dutch '*wandilon'[1][2]. This older form traces back to Proto-West Germanic '*wandalōn'[1][2][4]. Further back, the lineage connects to Proto-Germanic '*wandōną'[5], which ultimately derives from Proto-Indo-European '*wendʰ-' carrying the meaning to turn, wind, or braid[6].

Open questions

The ultimate connection to Proto-Indo-European '*wendʰ-' is a reconstructed and distant historical relationship. [6]
Forms such as Old Dutch '*wandilon' and Proto-West Germanic '*wandalōn' are reconstructed rather than directly attested. [1] [2] [4]

Full etymology tree

wandelen (Dutch), 'to stroll, be on a walk (‘to go for a walk’ = ‘gaan wandelen’)'
- inherited wandelen (Middle Dutch), 'to go back and forth'
  - inherited *wandilon (Old Dutch), 'to wander'
    - inherited *wandalōn (Proto-West Germanic), 'to waver, change, fluctuate'
      - affix *wandōn (Proto-West Germanic), 'to turn aside, veer'
        inherited *wandōną (Proto-Germanic), 'to turn aside; veer; change'
        derived *wendʰ- (Proto-Indo-European), 'to wind, to turn'
      - affix *-lōn (Proto-West Germanic)

Ancestors

wandelen (Middle Dutch)
*wandilon (Old Dutch)
*wandalōn (Proto-West Germanic)

Descendants and derived words

wandel (Afrikaans)
bewandelen (Dutch)
slaapwandelen (Dutch)
wandelende tak (Dutch)
wandeling (Dutch)
wandelpad (Dutch)
wandelstok (Dutch)
wandeltocht (Dutch)

Sources

Updated September 2026

More words starting with W

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