Where does “Windhoek” come from?
Windhoek comes from Dutch hoek, from Middle Dutch wint and hoek, ultimately from Proto-Germanic hōkaz meaning "corner" and Proto-Indo-European h₂weh₁-.
Ancestry of “Windhoek”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dutch | Windhoek | — |
| 2 | Dutch | wind | wind; flatulence, fart; greyhound |
| 3 | Middle Dutch | wint | wind; cardinal direction; air |
| 4 | Old Dutch | wint | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wind | wind |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | windaz | wind |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wéh₁n̥ts | blowing; that which blows; the wind, air |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂wḗh₁ti | to blow |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂weh₁- | to blow |