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
Ancestry of “neef”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | neef | male cousin; nephew |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | nēve | — |
| 3 | Old Dutch | nefo | — |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | nefō | grandson |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nefô | nephew; grandson |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | népōts | grandson; descendant; nephew |