Where does “blitz” come from?
Blitz comes from German Blitzkrieg, itself from German Blitz and Krieg, where Krieg derives from Middle High German kriec, Old High German krig, and Proto-Germanic *krīgaz.
blitz (English): A sudden attack, especially an air raid; usually...
Definitions
- A sudden attack, especially an air raid; usually...
Ancestry of “blitz”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | blitzkrieg | A fast, sudden military offensive, usually... |
| 2 | German | Blitzkrieg | blitzkrieg |
| 3 | German | krieg | singular imperative of kriegen |
| 4 | Middle High German | kriec | exertion; enmity; opposition |
| 5 | Old High German | krig | stubbornness; defiance |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | krīg | strife; struggle; fight |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | krīganą | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷrihg(ʰ)-o- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷréh₂us | heavy |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | -us | Forms adjectives from Caland system roots |