Where does “Einstein” come from?

Einstein (German) comes from German stein, from Middle High German stein, from Old High German stein, from Proto-West Germanic stain, from Proto-Germanic stainaz, from Proto-Indo-European steyh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- — to stand.

Einstein (German): an extremely intelligent person

Definitions

  1. an extremely intelligent person

Ancestry of “Einstein”, step by step

Einstein traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German stein

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansteinstone, rock
2Middle High Germansteinstone
3Old High Germansteinstone
4Proto-West Germanicstainstone
5Proto-Germanicstainazstone
6Proto-Indo-Europeansteyh₂-to stiffen
7Proto-Indo-Europeansteh₂-to stand

via German ein

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germaneinone; a, an; indicating motion into something
2Middle High Germaneinone
3Old High Germaneinone; only
4Proto-West Germanicainone
5Proto-Germanicainazone; some
6Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single

Words derived from “Einstein”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European steh₂- →