Where does “fjord” come from?
Fjord comes from Norwegian fjord, from Old Norse fjǫrðr, from Proto-Germanic ferþuz, from Proto-Indo-European pértus, derived from the root per- meaning to lead or cross.
fjord (English): A long, narrow, deep inlet between cliffs
Definitions
- A long, narrow, deep inlet between cliffs
Ancestry of “fjord”, step by step
fjord traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish fjord
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | fjord | a fjord |
| 2 | Old Swedish | fiordher | — |
| 3 | Old Norse | fjǫrðr | firth, fjord |
| 4 | Proto-Norse | ᚠᛖᚱᚦᚢᛉ | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | ferþuz | inlet, fjord |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | pértus | crossing |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |
via Norwegian fjord
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Norwegian | fjord | — |