"in good health, robust," Old English hal "healthy, sound, safe; entire; uninjured; genuine, straightforward," from Proto-Germanic *hailaz(source also of Old Frisian hel"complete, full; firm" (of ground), Old High German heil, Old Norse heill "hale, sound," Gothic hails "hale"), from PIE *kailo- "whole, uninjured, of good omen" (see health). The Scottish and northern English form of whole and with a more etymological spelling. It later acquired a literary sense of "free from infirmity" (1734), especially in reference to the aged. Related: Haleness.