Where does “Geierschildkröte” come from?

Geierschildkröte (German) comes from German Schildkröte, from German Schild, from Middle High German schilt, from Old High German scilt, from Proto-West Germanic skeldu, from Proto-Germanic skelduz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)keit-.

Geierschildkröte (German): snapping turtle

Definitions

  1. snapping turtle

Ancestry of “Geierschildkröte”, step by step

Geierschildkröte traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Schildkröte

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchildkröteturtle, tortoise
2GermanSchildshield, buckler; sign, plate
3Middle High Germanschilt—
4Old High Germanscilt—
5Proto-West Germanicskeldushield
6Proto-Germanicskelduzshield
7Proto-Indo-European(s)keit-—

via German Geier

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanGeiervulture
2Middle High Germangīr—
3Old High Germangīrvulture
4Old High Germangirigreedy
5Proto-Germanicgernazeager, willing
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)keit- →