Question: what is the etymology of the word yule?
Answer: Etymology. From Middle English yol, from Old English ġeōl, ġeola (“Christmastide, midwinter”), either cognate with or from Old Norse jól, from Proto-Germanic *jehwlą, from Proto-Indo-European *yekə- (“joke, play”). Cognate with Gothic 𐌾𐌹𐌿𐌻𐌴𐌹𐍃 (jiuleis); see also Old English giuli and Old Norse ýlir.