From Proto-Germanic*hildiz, from Proto-Indo-European*kola-, *klā-(“to beat, kill”). Cognate with Old Saxon hild, Old High German hiltia, Old Norse hildr. The Proto-Indo-European root is also the source of Ancient Greek κόλος(kólos), Latin clādēs, Old Irish coll (Breton claza), Slavic *koltī (Russian колоть).