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English word holly comes from Middle English (1100-1500) holyn, Proto-Germanic *hailzą, Proto-Germanic - gaz, and later Old English (ca. 450-1100) hal (Sound, healthy, intact. Whole, undivided.)
holyn (Middle English)
*hailzą (Proto-Germanic)
- gaz (Proto-Germanic)
hal (Old English)
Sound, healthy, intact. Whole, undivided.
*hailagaz (Proto-Germanic)
Holy, sacred.
halig (Old English)
Holy, sacred; pious; sound, healthy.
hāleġ (Old English)
holliche (Middle English)
holly (English)
(with a qualifier) Any of several unrelated plant species likened to Ilex because of their prickly, evergreen foliage and/or round, bright-red berries. Any of various shrubs or (mostly) small trees, of the genus Ilex, either evergreen or deciduous, used as decoration especially at Christmas.. The wood from this tree.