Where does “kvindelig” come from?

kvindelig (Danish) comes from Danish lig, from Old Norse lík, from Middle Low German līk, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

kvindelig (Danish): female (of humans)

Definitions

  1. female (of humans)

Ancestry of “kvindelig”, step by step

kvindelig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish lig

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishligequal to; like, similar to; body, corpse
2Old Norselíkleechline; body; leech
3Middle Low Germanlīk—
4Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via Danish kvinde

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1DanishkvindeA woman
2Old Norsekvennagenitive plural of kona
3Proto-Germanickwenǭwoman
4Proto-Indo-Europeangʷḗnwoman
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷen-woman
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līką →Every word from Middle Low German līk →