Where does “blitzkrieg” come from?
Blitzkrieg comes from German Blitzkrieg, from German Krieg, from Middle High German kriec, from Old High German krig, from Proto-Germanic blaikaz and gʷrihg(ʰ)-o-, both from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to strike or move swiftly.
blitzkrieg (English): A fast, sudden military offensive, usually...
Definitions
- A fast, sudden military offensive, usually...
Ancestry of “blitzkrieg”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Blitzkrieg | blitzkrieg |
| 2 | German | krieg | singular imperative of kriegen |
| 3 | Middle High German | kriec | exertion; enmity; opposition |
| 4 | Old High German | krig | stubbornness; defiance |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | krīg | strife; struggle; fight |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | krīganą | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷrihg(ʰ)-o- | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷréh₂us | heavy |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | -us | Forms adjectives from Caland system roots |