Where does “ringfinger” come from?

ringfinger (Danish) comes from Danish ring, from Old Norse hringr, from Proto-Germanic hringaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)krengʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker-, from Proto-Indo-European sek- — to cut, cut off, sever.

ringfinger (Danish): ring finger

Definitions

  1. ring finger

Ancestry of “ringfinger”, step by step

ringfinger traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish ring

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishringring; circle; halo
2Old Norsehringrring
3Proto-Germanichringazring, circle; curve; sound, ring
4Proto-Indo-European(s)krengʰ-to turn, bend
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever

via Danish finger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishfingerfinger; imperative of fingere
2Old Norsefingrfinger
3Proto-Germanicfingrazfinger
4Proto-Indo-Europeanpenkʷrós—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sek- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)ker- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)krengʰ- →