Where does “Flächenland” come from?

Flächenland (German) comes from German land, from Middle High German lant, from Old High German lant, from Proto-West Germanic land, from Proto-Germanic landą, from Proto-Indo-European lendʰ- — land, heath; loins.

Flächenland (German): any of the 13 federal states that are not city states

Definitions

  1. any of the 13 federal states that are not city states

Ancestry of “Flächenland”, step by step

Flächenland traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German land

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanlandcountry territory of a nation
2Middle High Germanlantland; country
3Old High Germanlantland; country
4Proto-West Germaniclandland, area of ground
5Proto-Germaniclandąland, area of ground
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlendʰ-land, heath; loins

via German fläche

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanflächesurface
2Middle High Germanvleche—
3Old High Germanflahflat, smooth
4Proto-West Germanic*flak—
5Proto-Germanicflakazflat
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpl̥kehflat surface
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lendʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic landą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic land →