Where does “det” come from?

det (Danish) comes from Old Norse þat, from Proto-Germanic þat, from Proto-Indo-European tód, from Proto-Indo-European to-, from Proto-Indo-European só — this; that.

det (Danish): the; that; it

Definitions

  1. the; that; it

Ancestry of “det”, step by step

det traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse þat

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseþatit; that
2Proto-Germanicþatnominative/accusative singular neuter of *sa
3Proto-Indo-Europeantóddemonstrative pronoun; that; it
4Proto-Indo-Europeanto-it; that; the, that
5Proto-Indo-Europeansóthis; that

via Old Danish thæt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Danishthæt—
2Old Norseþéttrtight, watertight
3Proto-Germanicþinhtaztight
4Proto-Indo-Europeantenkt-dense, thick, tight
5Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend
Every word from Proto-Indo-European só →Every word from Proto-Indo-European to- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European tód →