Where does “gneiss” come from?

Gneiss comes from German Gneis, from Old High German gneisto, a word of uncertain ultimate origin and meaning.

gneiss (English): A common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock...

Definitions

  1. A common and widely-distributed metamorphic rock...

Ancestry of “gneiss”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanGneisgneiss
2Middle High Germangneistspark
3Old High Germangneistospark
4Proto-Germanicgahnaistôspark
5Proto-Germanicga-Indicates association or togetherness; co-;...
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
7Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
8Middle Englishkyt—
9Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
10Old High Germankuti—
11Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
12Proto-Germanickweduzresin
13Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
14Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “gneiss”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷet- →Every word from Proto-Germanic kweduz →