Where does “dværgterne” come from?

dværgterne (Danish) comes from Danish terne, from Old Norse þerna, from Old Saxon thiorna, from Proto-West Germanic *þewernā — handmaid, female servant.

dværgterne (Danish): little tern

Definitions

  1. little tern

Ancestry of “dværgterne”, step by step

dværgterne traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish terne

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishternetern
2Old Norseþernatern; maid servant
3Old Saxonthiornavirgin
4Proto-West Germanic*þewernāhandmaid, female servant

via Danish dværg

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishdværgmidget, dwarf
2Old Norsedvergra dwarf; a short support pillar; a brooch, stud,...
3Proto-Germanicdwergazdwarf
Every word from Proto-West Germanic *þewernā →Every word from Old Saxon thiorna →Every word from Old Norse þerna →