Where does “Norwegian” come from?

Norwegian derives from Medieval Latin Norvegia, from Old Norse Norvegr, combining norðr (north) and wegaz (way), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning north and path.

Norwegian (English): A native of Norway; A kind of fishing boat on the...

Definitions

  1. A native of Norway; A kind of fishing boat on the...

Ancestry of “Norwegian”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Medieval LatinNorvegia—
2Old NorseNorvegrnorth way
3Old NorseNorðvegr—
4Old Norsenorðrnorth; north, northward
5Proto-Germanicnurþrąnorth, northern; north, northward
6Proto-Germanicnurþraznorth, northern
7Proto-Indo-European*nérbelow the surface, below
Every word from Proto-Indo-European *nér →Every word from Proto-Germanic nurþraz →Every word from Proto-Germanic nurþrą →