The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
Appendix I
Indo-European Roots
ENTRY:
gwel-
DEFINITION:
Also gwel-. To throw, reach, with further meaning to pierce. Oldest form *gwel1-, with metathesized variant *gwle1-, contracted to *gwl-. Derivatives include devil, emblem, metabolism, parliament, problem, symbol, ballet, and kill1. I. Words denoting to throw, reach. Variant *gwl-, contracted from *gwle-.1. Suffixed zero-grade form *gw-n--.a.ballista; amphibole, arbalest, astrobleme, bolide, devil, diabolic, embolism, emboly, epiboly, hyperbola, hyperbole, metabolism, palaver, parable, parabola, parley, parliament, parlor, parol, parole, problem, symbol, from Greek ballein, to throw (with o-grade *bol- and variant *bl-); b.ball2, ballad, ballet, bayadere, from Greek ballizein, to dance. 2. Suffixed o-grade form *gwol()--.bolometer, from Greek bol, beam, ray. 3. Possible suffixed o-grade form *gwol()-s-.boule1, abulia, from Greek boul, determination, will (< throwing forward of the mind), council. 4. Suffixed full-grade form *gwel-mno-.belemnite, from Greek belemnon, dart, javelin. II. Words denoting to pierce. 1. Suffixed o-grade form *gwol-eyo-.a.quell, from Old English cwellan, to kill, destroy; b.quail2, from Middle Dutch quelen, to be ill, suffer. Both a and b from Germanic *kwaljan.2. Suffixed zero-grade form *gw-yo-.kill1, from Middle English killen, to kill, perhaps from Old English *cyllan, to kill, from Germanic *kuljan.3. Full-grade form *gwel-.belonephobia, from Greek belon, needle. (Pokorny 2. gel- 471, 1. gel- 470.)