Where does “gauwdief” come from?

gauwdief (Dutch) comes from Dutch gauw, from Middle Dutch gouwe, from Old Dutch golt, from Proto-Germanic gulþą, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰl̥tóm, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃- — to flourish; green, yellow.

gauwdief (Dutch): a fast-fingered, crafty thief

Definitions

  1. a fast-fingered, crafty thief

Ancestry of “gauwdief”, step by step

gauwdief traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch gauw

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchgauwquickly; soon
2Middle Dutchgouwe—
3Old Dutchgoltgold
4Proto-Germanicgulþągold
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰl̥tómgold
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰelh₃-to flourish; green, yellow

via Dutch dief

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1DutchdiefA thief, one who steals
2Middle Dutchdiefthief
3Old Dutchthiof—
4Proto-West Germanicþeubthief
5Proto-Germanicþeubazthief
6Proto-Indo-Europeantewpó-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰelh₃- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰl̥tóm →Every word from Proto-Germanic gulþą →