Where does “meerschaum” come from?
Meerschaum comes from German Meerschaum, composed of German Meer from Middle High German mer from Old High German scūm, both ultimately from Proto-Indo-European móri meaning sea.
meerschaum (English): A soft white mineral, chiefly used for...
Definitions
- A soft white mineral, chiefly used for...
Ancestry of “meerschaum”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Meerschaum | seafoam; a soft white mineral, meerschaum; air... |
| 2 | German | Meer | sea; lake |
| 3 | Middle High German | mere | — |
| 4 | Old High German | mēro | more |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *maiʀō | more, larger |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | maizô | comparative degree of *mikilaz; more |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | mē- | to measure; endeavour, will, temper; many |