Where does “nøgle” come from?
nøgle (Danish) comes from Old Norse hnykill, from Proto-Germanic hnukkaz, from Proto-Indo-European knewg-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱen- — to set oneself in motion, arise.
nøgle (Danish): key; clef; ball
Ancestry of “nøgle”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | hnykill | swelling |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | hnukkaz | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | knewg- | to turn, press; to bend, pinch; to press; bend |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱen- | to set oneself in motion, arise |
Words derived from “nøgle”