Where does “waterspitsmuis” come from?
waterspitsmuis (Dutch) comes from Dutch water, from Middle Dutch wāter, from Middle Dutch loo, from Old Dutch lō, from Proto-West Germanic lauh, from Proto-Germanic lauhaz, from Proto-Indo-European lówkos, from Proto-Indo-European lewḱ- — bright; to shine; to see.
waterspitsmuis (Dutch): Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens)
Definitions
- Eurasian water shrew (Neomys fodiens)
Ancestry of “waterspitsmuis”, step by step
waterspitsmuis traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Dutch water
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | water | water; body of water; bodily fluid |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | wāter | water |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | loo | sacred wood, forest; forest, thicket |
| 4 | Old Dutch | lō | forest |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | lauh | clearing; meadow |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | lauhaz | clearing; meadow |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | lówkos | clearing; open space, clearing; field, meadow |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | lewḱ- | lynx |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | lewk- | bright; to shine; to see |