Where does “zwemvlies” come from?

zwemvlies (Dutch) comes from Dutch vlies, from Middle Dutch vlies, from Old Dutch flios, from Proto-West Germanic fleus, from Proto-Germanic fleusaz, from Proto-Indo-European plews-, from Proto-Indo-European plúsis — flea.

zwemvlies (Dutch): web, membrane of webbed feet in some animals;...

Definitions

  1. web, membrane of webbed feet in some animals;...

Ancestry of “zwemvlies”, step by step

zwemvlies traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch vlies

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchvliesfilm, thin layer; membrane; fleece
2Middle Dutchvliesfleece; thin skin, membrane
3Old Dutchflios—
4Proto-West Germanicfleusfleece
5Proto-Germanicfleusaz—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanplews-to pluck, a feather, fleece; to pull out, pluck
7Proto-Indo-Europeanplúsisflea

via Dutch zwemmen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchzwemmento swim
2Middle Dutchswemmento swim; to float; to overflow, to have in...
3Old Dutchswimmanto swim
4Proto-Germanicswimmanąto be unsteady; to swim; float
5Proto-Indo-Europeanswem(bʰ)-to bend, turn, swing; to be unsteady, move, swim
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plúsis →Every word from Proto-Indo-European plews- →Every word from Proto-Germanic fleusaz →