Where does “Volkswagen” come from?
Volkswagen derives from German Volkswagen, composed of German Volk from Old High German folc, from Proto-Germanic fulką, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European pleh₁- meaning to fill or be full.
Volkswagen (English): A car manufactured by Volkswagen
Definitions
- A car manufactured by Volkswagen
Ancestry of “Volkswagen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Volkswagen | A car made by the German car manufacturer |
| 2 | German | wägen | to weigh something |
| 3 | Middle High German | wāgen | — |
| 4 | Middle High German | wāge | wave; scale |
| 5 | Middle Low German | wāge | wave |
| 6 | Old Saxon | wag | wave |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | wāg | wave |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | wēgaz | wave; sea |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | weǵʰ- | to bring; to transport |