Where does “Anfangsbuchstabe” come from?

Anfangsbuchstabe (German) comes from German Anfang, from Middle High German anvanc, from Old High German anafang — beginning, start.

Anfangsbuchstabe (German): initial; monogram

Definitions

  1. initial; monogram

Ancestry of “Anfangsbuchstabe”, step by step

Anfangsbuchstabe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Anfang

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanAnfangstart, beginning, origin
2Middle High Germananvanc—
3Old High Germananafangbeginning, start

via German Buchstabe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanBuchstabeletter
2Middle High Germanbuochstabe—
3Old High Germanbuohstaboletter, writing
Every word from Old High German anafang →Every word from Middle High German anvanc →Every word from German Anfang →