Where does “Drahtseilakt” come from?

Drahtseilakt (German) comes from German Drahtseil, from German seil, from Middle High German seil, from Old High German seil, from Proto-West Germanic sail, from Proto-Germanic sailą, from Proto-Indo-European sh₂éy-ōl ~ sh₂i-l-és, from Proto-Indo-European sh₂ey- — to satiate, satisfy.

Drahtseilakt (German): balancing act, tightrope

Definitions

  1. balancing act, tightrope

Ancestry of “Drahtseilakt”, step by step

Drahtseilakt traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Drahtseil

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanDrahtseilcable, wire rope; tightrope
2Germanseilrope, line, cord
3Middle High Germanseil
4Old High Germanseilrope, snare, fetter
5Proto-West Germanicsailrope, cord
6Proto-Germanicsailąrope; cord
7Proto-Indo-Europeansh₂éy-ōl ~ sh₂i-l-és
8Proto-Indo-Europeansh₂ey-to bind, fetter
9Proto-Indo-Europeanseh₂-to satiate, satisfy

via German Akt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanAktact; nude; artwork of a naked person
2Latināctusmade, done, having been done
3Latinagōto act, to behave
4Proto-Italicagōdrive; push, impel; do, act
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éǵetito be driving
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eǵ-to drive
Every word from Proto-Indo-European seh₂-