Where does “Bärenklau” come from?

Bärenklau (German) comes from Latvian klau, from German kläuen, from Middle High German kleuen, from Old High German klawēn, from Proto-Germanic klawjaną, from Proto-Indo-European glew-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- — to swallow; swallow.

Bärenklau (German): hogweed plant of the genus

Definitions

  1. hogweed plant of the genus

Ancestry of “Bärenklau”, step by step

Bärenklau traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latvian klau

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latvianklaulook here!; listen!
2Germankläuen—
3Middle High Germankleuen—
4Old High Germanklawēn—
5Proto-Germanicklawjanąto claw or scratch
6Proto-Indo-Europeanglew-Alternative form of *gley-; to amass,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵel-to swallow; swallow

via German bär

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanbär—
2Middle High Germanbërbear
3Old High GermanberiA berry
4Proto-West Germanicbaʀiberry
5Proto-Germanicbazjąberry
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-to shine, glow light; to speak, say
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeh₂-s-ri-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European glew- →Every word from Proto-Germanic klawjaną →