Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Auerbach” come from?

Auerbach (German) comes from German Aue, from Middle High German ouwe, from Old High German ouwa, from Proto-West Germanic auwju, from Proto-Germanic awjō, from Proto-Germanic agwjō, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂ — water.

Ancestry of “Auerbach”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanAueA flat, wooded meadow by a river; ewe
2Middle High Germanouweterrain, landscape by water, in water, island;...
3Old High Germanouwa—
4Proto-West Germanicauwjufloodplain; meadow; island
5Proto-Germanicawjōfloodplain; meadow; island
6Proto-Germanicagwjō—
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ékʷeh₂water
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂ →