Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “Untermensch” come from?

Untermensch (English) comes from German Untermensch, from German unter-, from German Unter, from Middle High German under, from Old High German untar, from Proto-Germanic under, from Proto-Indo-European h₁entér, from Proto-Indo-European h₁en — in; in, inside.

Untermensch (English): An inferior person; a subhuman, especially in a...

Definitions

  1. An inferior person; a subhuman, especially in a...

Ancestry of “Untermensch”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanUntermenschAn inferior person; a subhuman
2Germanunter-sub-, under-
3GermanUnterjack, knave
4Middle High Germanunder—
5Old High Germanuntarunder
6Proto-Germanicunderamong, between; under, beneath; under
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁entérbetween
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁enin; in, inside
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁en →