Where does “Befehlsgewalt” come from?

Befehlsgewalt (German) comes from German gewalt, from Middle High German gewalt, from Old High German giwalt, from Proto-Germanic *wald, from Proto-Germanic waldą, from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- — to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess.

Befehlsgewalt (German): command, authority to give orders

Definitions

  1. command, authority to give orders

Ancestry of “Befehlsgewalt”, step by step

Befehlsgewalt traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German gewalt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangewaltstrong or violent force
2Middle High Germangewaltstrength, power
3Old High Germangiwalt—
4Proto-Germanic*wald—
5Proto-Germanicwaldąmight, power, authority
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwaldʰ-to be strong, be powerful, prevail, possess

via German Befehl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanBefehlcommand, order; command
2Middle High Germanbevel—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European waldʰ- →