Where does “Goth” come from?

Goth comes from Middle English Gothes, referring to members of a Germanic people whose ultimate origin and meaning remain unclear.

Goth (English): A member of the East Germanic people known for...

Definitions

  1. A member of the East Germanic people known for...

Ancestry of “Goth”, step by step

Goth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Middle English Gothes

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishGothes—
2LatinGothiGoths
3Icelandicgoðigodi, an alternate title for a jarl, invoker or...
4Old Norsegoðigodi, invoker or invokee, chief of a þing or keeper of a sanctuary
5Proto-Germanicgudô—
6Proto-Germanicgudjôpriest
7Proto-Germanicgudąinvoked one; god, deity
8Proto-Germanicgastizstranger, guest
9Proto-Indo-Europeangʰóstisstranger, host
10Proto-Indo-European-tisDerives abstract/action nouns from verb roots

via Middle English Gotes

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishGotes—

Words derived from “Goth”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European -tis →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰóstis →Every word from Proto-Germanic gastiz →