'handhold' originates from English, specifically a compound of the Old English elements 'hand' and 'hold', where 'hand' meant 'hand' and 'hold' (from Old English 'healdan') meant 'to hold or grasp'.

'handhold' formed in Middle English as a straightforward compound 'hand-hold' combining 'hand' + 'hold' and continued into Modern English with little change in form.

Initially it meant 'a place or thing to hold with the hand'; over time this basic sense has largely remained the same, though it has also developed figurative uses (e.g., practical points of support or guidance).