Where does “nøgleroman” come from?
nøgleroman (Danish) comes from Danish nøgle, from Old Norse hnykill, from Proto-Germanic hnukkaz, from Proto-Indo-European knewg-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱen- — to set oneself in motion, arise.
nøgleroman (Danish): roman à clef
Ancestry of “nøgleroman”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Danish | nøgle | key; clef; ball |
| 2 | Old Norse | hnykill | swelling |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hnukkaz | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | knewg- | to turn, press; to bend, pinch; to press; bend |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱen- | to set oneself in motion, arise |