Where does “postkort” come from?

postkort (Danish) comes from Danish kort, from Low German kort, from German karte, from Middle High German karte, from Old French carte, from Latin charta, from French cartel, from Italian cartello — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

postkort (Danish): postcard

Definitions

  1. postcard

Ancestry of “postkort”, step by step

postkort traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish kort

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishkortshort; brief; briefly
2Low Germankorta card
3Germankartecard flat, normally rectangular piece of stiff paper, plastic etc
4Middle High Germankarte
5Old FrenchcarteAlternative form of chartre
6Latinchartapapyrus, paper; poem, a writing; map
7Frenchcartela cartel
8Italiancartellosign, notice, placard, signboard; signpost, road...
9Italiancartapaper; map; menu
10Latincartapapyrus; letter etc
11Ancient Greekχάρτηςsheet of paper, paper; book
12Ancient Greekχαράσσωto sharpen; to engrave, carve, write, draw, stamp
13Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

via Danish post

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishpostpost; post, mail; postman
2Middle Low Germanpost
3Middle Frenchposte
4Italianpostamail, post; post office; stakes
5Latinprobāre
6Latinprobōto approve, permit, commend
7LatinProbusgood, serviceable, excellent, superior, able
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-bhwo-being in front, prominent
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
11Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
12Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer-Every word from Ancient Greek χαράσσωEvery word from Ancient Greek χάρτης