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An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/heilig

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An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, H (1891)
by Friedrich Kluge, translated by John Francis Davis
heilig
Friedrich Kluge2511428An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language, H — heilig1891John Francis Davis

heilig, adj., ‘holy, sacred, inviolable,’ from the equiv. MidHG. heilec, OHG. heilag, adj.; comp. OSax. hêlag, AS. kâleg, E. holy, OIc. heilagr, adj.; all have the common meaning, ‘sanctus.’ In Goth. only is the adj. unknown (yet hailag occurs in a Goth. Runic inscription); the earlier old heathen form weihs (see weihen) was used instead. The development of meaning in heilig from the subst. Heil is not quite clear. Is the word Heil used in a religions sense? Comp. OIc. heill, ‘favourable omen,’ OHG. heilisôn, ‘to augur,’ OIr. cel, ‘augury’?.