Where does “overdrijven” come from?

overdrijven (Dutch) comes from Dutch over, from Middle Dutch ōver, from Old Dutch over, from Proto-Germanic *obar, from Proto-Germanic uber, from Proto-Indo-European upér, from Proto-Indo-European upó, from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-.

overdrijven (Dutch): to exaggerate, to overstate; to float over

Definitions

  1. to exaggerate, to overstate; to float over

Ancestry of “overdrijven”, step by step

overdrijven traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch over

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchoverover, above; over; remaining, left over
2Middle Dutchōverover, above
3Old Dutchover
4Proto-Germanic*obar
5Proto-Germanicuberover; over, above
6Proto-Indo-Europeanupérabove; over
7Proto-Indo-Europeanupóunder, below
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃ewp-

via Dutch drijven

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchdrijvento float; to drive, to push
2Middle Dutchdrîvento drive, to push (forward)
3Old Dutchdrīvanto drive
4Proto-West Germanicdrībanto drive, to push, to compel to go
5Proto-Germanicdrībanąto drive, push, compel to go
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃ewp-
overdrijven — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer