Middle English word holden comes from Proto-Slavic *-nъ, Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-, and later Proto-Germanic *haldaną (To hold, to keep.)
| Dictionary entry | Language | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| *-nъ | Proto-Slavic (sla-pro) | |
| *kʷel- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *ḱer- | Proto-Indo-European (ine-pro) | |
| *haldaną | Proto-Germanic (gem-pro) | To hold, to keep. |
| healdan | Old English (ang) | (intransitive) to maintain one’s position against an enemy. To contain. To hold fast, to grasp. To keep watch over (cattle etc.). To possess. |
| holden | Middle English (enm) | To hold. |