Where does “Banknote” come from?
Banknote (German) comes from English banknote, from English Bank, from Swedish bänk, from Dutch bank, from Italian banco, from Old High German bank, from Proto-West Germanic banki, from Proto-Germanic bankiz — to break.
Banknote (German): banknote
Ancestry of “Banknote”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | banknote | A piece of paper currency; A promissory note... |
| 2 | English | Bank | — |
| 3 | Swedish | bänk | bench, a long sofa without bolster; bench; where... |
| 4 | Dutch | bank | bench; couch, sofa; place where seashells are... |
| 5 | Italian | banco | desk; counter; bench, table |
| 6 | Old High German | bank | bench |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | banki | bench |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | bankiz | a raised surface; bulge; hillock; slope; bench |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰeg- | to break |
Words derived from “Banknote”