Where does “kogelbrief” come from?
kogelbrief (Dutch) comes from Dutch brief, from Middle Dutch brief, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European mréǵʰus, from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- — short.
kogelbrief (Dutch): a threatening letter containing a bullet
Definitions
- a threatening letter containing a bullet
Ancestry of “kogelbrief”, step by step
kogelbrief traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch brief
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | brief | letter |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | brief | — |
| 3 | Latin | brevis | short, small, little, narrow; brief, short;... |
| 4 | Proto-Italic | *breɣʷis | — |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | mréǵʰus | short; brief |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | mreǵʰ- | short |
via Dutch kogel
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | kogel | projectile: bullet, shot; sphere, ball-shaped... |
| 2 | German | Kugel | ball; bullet, projectile; round, cartridge,... |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | kuggilaz | knobbed instrument |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | kuggǭ | cog, swelling |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gewgʰ- | swelling, bow |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gēw- | to bend, arch |