Where does “søvngænger” come from?

søvngænger (Danish) comes from Medieval Latin somnambulus, from Latin ambulō, from Latin ambi-, from Latin ambō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂m̥bʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂n̥tbʰi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- — on, onto.

søvngænger (Danish): somnambulist, sleepwalker

Definitions

  1. somnambulist, sleepwalker

Ancestry of “søvngænger”, step by step

søvngænger traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Medieval Latin somnambulus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Medieval Latinsomnambulussleepwalker
2Latinambulōto traverse, travel
3Latinambi-around, about
4Latinambōboth
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂m̥bʰiaround, on either side of, about; in exchange...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂n̥tbʰi
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via Danish gænger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishgængerwalker
2DanishgangeUsed to show that one has to multiply one or more...
3DanishgangThe act of walking, a walk; An intended amount of...
4Old Danishgang
5Old Norsegangrwalking, motion; pace, pacing; course
6Proto-Germanicgangazpace, step, gait; walk; way, course
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰongʰ-o-s
8Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰengʰ-to walk; to step

via Danish søvn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishsøvnsleep; gound
2Old Norsesvefnsleep
3Proto-Germanicswefnazsleep
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswépnossleep, slumber
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswopnosdream
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswep-to sleep
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts
søvngænger — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer