Where does “neef” come from?

neef (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch neef, from Middle Dutch nēve, from Old Dutch nefo, from Proto-West Germanic nefō, from Proto-Germanic nefô, from Proto-Indo-European népōts — grandson; descendant; nephew.

neef (Afrikaans): nephew; cousin

Definitions

  1. nephew; cousin

Ancestry of “neef”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchneefmale cousin; nephew
2Middle Dutchnēvemale relative
3Old Dutchnefo—
4Proto-West Germanicnefōgrandson
5Proto-Germanicnefônephew; grandson
6Proto-Indo-Europeannépōtsgrandson; descendant; nephew
Every word from Proto-Indo-European népōts →Every word from Proto-Germanic nefô →Every word from Proto-West Germanic nefō →