heal English · revision 7597

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 725|origins=gem-pro *hailijaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhiːl/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English helen, [[inh|ang|hǣlan|t=to cure, save, make whole]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from Proto-Germanic *hailjan, literally to make whole,^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) from *hailaz, also the source of [[whole]] and [[hale]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Collins 2023) and cognate with Old Frisian hēla, Dutch [[m|nl|helen]], German [[m|de|heilen]], Old Norse heila and Gothic hailjan.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Etymonline traces it to PIE *kailo-, whole (see [[health]]).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To make whole and sound: about 725, in ''Genesis A'';^(Barnhart 1988) about 1000 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The intransitive sense, to become sound, is from the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Of a wound, to close and repair naturally, and of relations, to restore harmony, are senses that Collins lists beside the medical one.^(Collins 2023) Restoring a person to spiritual wholeness is a further sense.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 725 – hǣlan, to make whole.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1200 – healen, helen.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * late 14th century – to become sound.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make or become healthy again; to [[cure]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Of a [[wound]], to repair naturally.^(Collins 2023)

+ # To put right; to restore friendly relations.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To restore a person to spiritual wholeness.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[healable]]

+ * [[allheal]]

+ * [[heal-all]]

+ * [[healer]]

+ * [[health]]

+ * [[selfheal]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[whole]]

+ * [[hale]]

+ * [[holy]]

+ * [[hail]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate dialect verb heal, hele, to hide or cover, is from Old English helan, related to [[hell]].^(MWU 2024) The OED also has an old noun heal, health, well-being, and salvation, from about 900,^(OED 1989) which survived in Scots and Irish dialect.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}