Where does “bogstav” come from?
bogstav (Danish) comes from Old Danish bokstav, from Old Norse bókstafr, from Proto-Germanic bōkastabaz, from Proto-Germanic stabaz, from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- — to stand still; to harden.
bogstav (Danish): letter
Ancestry of “bogstav”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Danish | bokstav | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | bókstafr | a letter of the alphabet |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | bōkastabaz | a staff made of beechwood; letter of the alphabet |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | stabaz | staff, stick |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | stebʰ- | to stand still; to harden |