Where does “hoofstad” come from?
hoofstad (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch hoofdstad, from Middle Dutch hôvetstat, from Middle Dutch stat, from Old Dutch stad, from Proto-Germanic stadiz, from Proto-Indo-European stéh₂tis, from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂-.
hoofstad (Afrikaans): capital
Ancestry of “hoofstad”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | hoofdstad | capital city |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | hôvetstat | — |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | stat | place; position, station; rank, status |
| 4 | Old Dutch | stad | a site, place, location, standing |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | stadiz | place, location |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | stéh₂tis | standing, position |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | *steh₂- | — |