Where does “Dungkäfer” come from?

Dungkäfer (German) comes from German Dung, from Middle High German tunc, from Old High German tung, from Proto-West Germanic *dungu, from Proto-Germanic dungō, from Proto-Indo-European dʰengʰ- — to cover; to overcast.

Dungkäfer (German): dung beetle, aphodiine (Aphodiinae)

Definitions

  1. dung beetle, aphodiine (Aphodiinae)

Ancestry of “Dungkäfer”, step by step

Dungkäfer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Dung

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanDungdung
2Middle High Germantunc—
3Old High Germantunga barn covered with dung; an underground cellar
4Proto-West Germanic*dunguearth, dirt
5Proto-Germanicdungōdung, manure
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰengʰ-to cover; to overcast

via German Käfer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKäferbeetle; young girl, wench; Volkswagen Type 1...
2Middle High Germankëvere—
3Old High Germanchevar—
4Proto-West Germanickefrōbeetle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰengʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic dungō →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *dungu →