Where does “Bloemfontein” come from?
Bloemfontein (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch Bloemfontein, from Dutch bloem, from Middle Dutch bloeme, from Old Dutch bluomo, from Proto-Germanic blōmô, from Proto-Germanic blōaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰleh₃-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-.
Ancestry of “Bloemfontein”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | Bloemfontein | — |
| 2 | Dutch | bloem | flower of flowering plant; flour of wheat or corn |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | bloeme | flower |
| 4 | Old Dutch | bluomo | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | blōmô | flower |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | blōaną | to bloom, to flower |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰleh₃- | bloom, flower |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |