Where does “vanzelf” come from?

vanzelf (Dutch) comes from Dutch zelf, from Middle Dutch self, from Old Dutch self, from Proto-Germanic selbaz, from Proto-Indo-European selbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European s(w)e-, from Proto-Indo-European swé — self.

vanzelf (Dutch): automatically

Definitions

automatically

Ancestry of “vanzelf”, step by step

vanzelf traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch zelf

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Dutch	zelf	oneself, referring to the subject of a sentence:...
2	Middle Dutch	self	—
3	Old Dutch	self	—
4	Proto-Germanic	selbaz	self
5	Proto-Indo-European	selbʰ-	one's own
6	Proto-Indo-European	s(w)e-	separate, apart; separate; apart; oneself; one's...
7	Proto-Indo-European	swé	self

via Dutch van

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Dutch	van	of; by, of; from
2	Middle Dutch	van	of; from; out of
3	Old Dutch	fān	off, from
4	Old Saxon	fāhan	to seize
5	Proto-Germanic	fanhaną	to take, to seize; to capture, to catch
6	Proto-Indo-European	peh₂ḱ-	to join, to attach; agreement, settlement

Every word from Proto-Indo-European swé →