Where does “Gleichgewicht” come from?

Gleichgewicht (German) comes from German gleich, from Middle High German gelīch, from Old High German gilīh, from Proto-West Germanic galīk, from Proto-Germanic galīkaz, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

Gleichgewicht (German): equilibrium; balance, poise

Definitions

  1. equilibrium; balance, poise

Ancestry of “Gleichgewicht”, step by step

Gleichgewicht traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German gleich

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangleichequal; same; very similar; same; identical
2Middle High Germangelīch
3Old High Germangilīhequal
4Proto-West Germanicgalīkalike, similar
5Proto-Germanicgalīkazalike, similar; equal
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via German Gewicht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanGewichtweight
2Middle High Germanwiht
3Old High Germangiwihti
4West Germanicgawihti

Words derived from “Gleichgewicht

Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ-
Gleichgewicht — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer