Where does “pen” come from?

pen (Danish) comes from Old Norse penni, from Latin penna, from Proto-Italic petnā, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.

pen (Danish): pen; quill; pane, peen

Definitions

  1. pen; quill; pane, peen

Ancestry of “pen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsepenni—
2Latinpennawing; feather, especially a flight-feather;...
3Proto-Italicpetnāfeather; wing
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpéth₂r̥wing; feather
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly

Words derived from “pen”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥ →Every word from Proto-Italic petnā →