Where does “spionage” come from?

spionage (Danish) comes from Danish spion, from German Spion, from French espion, from Middle French espion, from Old French espion, from Frankish *spehō, from Frankish spehōn, from Proto-Germanic spehōną — to see, to look, to observe.

spionage (Danish): espionage, spying

Definitions

  1. espionage, spying

Ancestry of “spionage”, step by step

spionage traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Danish spion

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishspionspy
2GermanSpionspy; peephole
3Frenchespionspy
4Middle Frenchespion—
5Old Frenchespionspy
6Frankish*spehō—
7Frankishspehōnto spy, watch; to peer, to look, to spy
8Proto-Germanicspehōnąto peer, look, spy
9Proto-Indo-Europeanspeḱ-to see, to look, to observe

via Danish age

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishageto drive
2Old NorseakaTo drive
3Proto-Germanicakanąto drive, sail, navigate; to ache
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European speḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic spehōną →Every word from Frankish spehōn →
spionage — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer