Where does “smorgasbord” come from?
Smorgasbord comes from Swedish smörgåsbord, composed of Swedish smörgås and Swedish gås, ultimately deriving from Proto-Indo-European roots meaning to bear and to place.
smorgasbord (English): A Swedish-style buffet comprising a variety of...
Definitions
- A Swedish-style buffet comprising a variety of...
Ancestry of “smorgasbord”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | smörgåsbord | smorgasbord; a set of a great number of... |
| 2 | Swedish | smörgås | an sandwich; a slice of bread with toppings |
| 3 | Swedish | smör | butter |
| 4 | Old Swedish | smiør | — |
| 5 | Old Norse | smjǫr | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | smerwą | grease, butter, fat |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | smérus | marrow |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | smérus | grease |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | smer- | to fall into thought, remember, care for; to fall... |