Where does “gau” come from?

gau (English) comes from German gau, from Middle High German göu, from Old High German gawi, from Proto-Germanic *gawi, from Proto-Germanic gawją, from Proto-Germanic gaawja, from Proto-Germanic ga-, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóm — resin, gum; to say, speak.

gau (English): A prayer box or small container worn as jewelry...

Definitions

  1. A prayer box or small container worn as jewelry...

Ancestry of “gau”, step by step

gau traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German gau

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangau
2Middle High Germangöushire, district
3Old High Germangawi
4Proto-Germanic*gawi
5Proto-Germanicgawjądistrict, shire, region, area
6Proto-Germanicgaawjariverlands, lakeside land
7Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt
11Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
12Old High Germankuti
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak

via Serbo-Croatian gao

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Serbo-Croatiangaoblack, dark; dark fur
2Middle Dutchgants
3Old High Germangansgoose
4Proto-West Germanicgansgoose
5Proto-Germanicgansgoose
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰans-
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet-