Where does “Durchwahl” come from?

Durchwahl (German) comes from German Wahl, from Middle High German wale, from Old High German wala, from Proto-West Germanic walu, from Proto-Germanic waluz, from Proto-Indo-European wēl- — to see, perceive.

Durchwahl (German): extension digits added to a telephone number enabling one to reach a specific office or device

Definitions

  1. extension digits added to a telephone number enabling one to reach a specific office or device

Ancestry of “Durchwahl”, step by step

Durchwahl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Wahl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWahlchoice, selection; election; quality level
2Middle High Germanwale—
3Old High Germanwalachoice
4Proto-West Germanicwaluchoice, selection
5Proto-Germanicwaluzstaff, stick
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwēl-to see, perceive

via German durch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germandurchby means of; by; through; through; entering, then...
2Middle High Germandurchthrough
3Old High Germanduruhthrough
4Proto-Germanicþurhwthrough
5Proto-Indo-Europeantr̥h₂kʷe—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanterh₂-to cross over, pass through, overcome
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wēl- →Every word from Proto-Germanic waluz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic walu →