Where does “mer” come from?
mer (Faroese) comes from Old Norse merr, from Proto-Germanic marhijō, from Proto-Germanic marhaz, from Proto-Germanic skalkaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kelH-, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kel- — to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,...
mer (Faroese): mare, female horse
Ancestry of “mer”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | merr | mare |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | marhijō | mare, female horse |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | marhaz | horse |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | skalkaz | servant |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kelH- | to cut; to split, to separate |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kel- | to bend, crook; bent, crooked; leg, heel, knee,... |