Where does “ur-myth” come from?

ur-myth (English) comes from English Ur, from German Urkontinent, from German Kontinent, from Latin continēns, from Latin contineo, from Latin cōn-, from Latin cum, from Old Latin com — to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

ur-myth (English): A myth believed to be a precursor or prototype to all existing myths

Definitions

  1. A myth believed to be a precursor or prototype to all existing myths

Ancestry of “ur-myth”, step by step

ur-myth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Ur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishUrA hypothetical early supercontinent which may have existed on Earth during the Archaean eon (3.1 billion years ago)
2GermanUrkontinentpalaeocontinent
3GermanKontinentcontinent
4Latincontinēnslimiting, enclosing
5LatincontineoI hold or keep together/close, surround, contain;...
6Latincōn-Used in compounds to indicate a being or bringing together of several objects
7Latincumwith, along with; at; -fold
8Old LatincomAlternative form of cum
9Proto-Italickomwith, along, at
10Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
11Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
12Middle Englishkyt
13Germankittputty certain kinds of cement used for fixing e.g. window panes
14Old High Germankuti
15Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
16Proto-Germanickweduzresin
17Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
18Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

via English myth

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmythA traditional story which embodies a belief...
2Ancient Greekμῦθοςsomething said: word, speech, conversation; tale,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū-