Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Deutsch” come from?

Deutsch comes from Old High German diutisc, meaning "of the people," derived from diota, a Germanic word for "people" or "nation."

Deutsch (English): German, in the German language

Definitions

  1. German, in the German language

Ancestry of “Deutsch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanDeutschGerman
2Old High Germandiutsch—
3Old High GermandiutiscAlternative form of diutisk; popular, vernacular;...
4Proto-West Germanicþiudiskof the people, popular, vernacular
5Proto-Germanicþiudiskazof the people, popular; of the tribe
6Proto-Germanicþeudōpeople, tribe
7Proto-Indo-Europeantewtéh₂people, tribe
8Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- →