Where does “zwavelstokje” come from?

zwavelstokje (Dutch) comes from Dutch zwavel, from Dutch zwalf, from Middle Dutch swalwe, from Old Dutch swalwa, from Proto-Germanic swalwǭ — swallow.

zwavelstokje (Dutch): matchstick

Definitions

  1. matchstick

Ancestry of “zwavelstokje”, step by step

zwavelstokje traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch zwavel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchzwavelsulfur
2Dutchzwalf
3Middle Dutchswalwe
4Old Dutchswalwa
5Proto-Germanicswalwǭswallow

via Dutch stokje

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchstokjebaton; chopstick
Every word from Proto-Germanic swalwǭEvery word from Old Dutch swalwaEvery word from Middle Dutch swalwe