Where does “berserker” come from?

berserker (English) comes from Old Norse berserkr, from Old Norse serkr, from Proto-Germanic sarkiz, from Proto-Indo-European swerg-, from Proto-Indo-European sēr-, from Proto-Indo-European ser- — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.

berserker (English): A berserk; One who fights as if frenzied, like a...

Definitions

  1. A berserk; One who fights as if frenzied, like a...

Ancestry of “berserker”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norseberserkra Scandinavian warrior; a raging warrior of...
2Old NorseserkrA shirt
3Proto-Germanicsarkizsark, shirt; coat of mail
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswerg-—
5Proto-Indo-Europeansēr-to flow
6Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European sēr- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European swerg- →