soul
The spiritual or immaterial part of a human being, regarded as immortal.
Etymology
From Old English sāwol/sāwl, from Proto-Germanic *saiwalō. The PIE origin is genuinely uncertain and much debated. Some connect it to *saiwaz "sea" — the soul as coming from or returning to sacred waters. Others link it to *seh₂i- "to bind." A connection to PIE *h₂enh₁m- "to breathe" (which gave Latin anima "breath, soul") has also been proposed but is not well supported phonologically. The etymology remains one of the great unsolved problems in Germanic linguistics.
The Journey: (disputed) → soul
*seh₂i-wol- (disputed)
*saiwalō
sāwol
soul
Cognates Across Languages
These words in other languages descend from the same PIE root (disputed). They are not borrowings but independent inheritances from a common ancestor.
| Language | Word |
|---|---|
| Greek | psykhḗ (breath) |
| Latin | anima (from *h₂enh₁m-) |
| Gothic | saiwala |
| Old Norse | sál |
| Old Saxon | sēola |
| Old High German | sēula |
Did You Know?
The PIE origin of "soul" is one of the most debated etymologies in Germanic linguistics. One intriguing proposal links it to *saiwaz "sea, lake" — some Germanic peoples may have believed souls came from and returned to sacred waters. Latin anima "breath, soul" (giving "animate," "animal") comes from a different root entirely.