Where does “Gedankenblitz” come from?

Gedankenblitz (German) comes from German Blitz, from Middle High German blitze, from Old High German blëcchazzen, from Proto-Germanic blaikaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰloyǵ-os, from Proto-Indo-European bʰleyǵ- — to shine.

Gedankenblitz (German): sudden inspiration, brainwave, flash of insight

Definitions

  1. sudden inspiration, brainwave, flash of insight

Ancestry of “Gedankenblitz”, step by step

Gedankenblitz traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Blitz

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanBlitzlightning; flash
2Middle High Germanblitzelightning
3Old High Germanblëcchazzen—
4Proto-Germanicblaikazpale, white
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰloyǵ-os—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰleyǵ-to shine

via German gedanke

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangedankethought
2Middle High Germangedanc—
3Old High Germangidanc—
4Proto-Germanicgaþankô—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰleyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰloyǵ-os →Every word from Proto-Germanic blaikaz →