Where does “hersenspinsel” come from?
hersenspinsel (Dutch) comes from German Hirngespinst, from German Hirn, from Middle High German hirne, from Old High German hirni, from Proto-West Germanic *hirʀnī — brain.
hersenspinsel (Dutch): figment, fantasy
Definitions
- figment, fantasy
Ancestry of “hersenspinsel”, step by step
hersenspinsel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Hirngespinst
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Hirngespinst | chimera, fantasy; pipe dream |
| 2 | German | Hirn | brain |
| 3 | Middle High German | hirne | — |
| 4 | Old High German | hirni | brain |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *hirʀnī | brain |
via Dutch hersen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | hersen | brain |