Where does “kviksølv” come from?

kviksølv (Danish) comes from Danish kvik, from Old Norse kvikr, from Proto-Germanic kwikwaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós, from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- — to live.

kviksølv (Danish): mercury

Definitions

  1. mercury

Ancestry of “kviksølv”, step by step

kviksølv traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish kvik

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishkviklively; clever, quick-witted; fast
2Old Norsekvikralive; lively, quick
3Proto-Germanickwikwazalive; lively, quick
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live

via Danish sølv

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishsølvsilver
2Old Norsesilfrsilver
3Proto-Germanicsilubrąsilver

Words derived from “kviksølv”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós →Every word from Proto-Germanic kwikwaz →
kviksølv — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer