Where does “hjernedød” come from?

hjernedød (Danish) comes from Danish hjerne, from Old Danish hiarnæ, from Old Norse hjarni, from Proto-Germanic hersô, from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂s-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂- — head, top; horn.

hjernedød (Danish): brain dead; stupid, retarded; brain death

Definitions

  1. brain dead; stupid, retarded; brain death

Ancestry of “hjernedød”, step by step

hjernedød traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish hjerne

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishhjernebrain
2Old Danishhiarnæ—
3Old Norsehjarnithe brain
4Proto-Germanichersôcrown of head
5Proto-Indo-Europeanḱerh₂s-head; hornet
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱerh₂-head, top; horn

via Danish død

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishdøddead, inanimate; slack; death, decease, demise
2Old Danishdøth—
3Old Norsedauðrdead
4Proto-Germanicdaudazdead
5Proto-Indo-EuropeandʰowHtós—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱerh₂s- →Every word from Proto-Germanic hersô →
hjernedød — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer