Where does “Greifzange” come from?

Greifzange (German) comes from German greifen, from Middle High German grīfen, from Old High German grīfan, from Proto-West Germanic grīpan, from Proto-Germanic grīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰreyb-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.

Greifzange (German): a pair of tongs or pincers used for holding or grasping something (rather exerting force on it)

Definitions

  1. a pair of tongs or pincers used for holding or grasping something (rather exerting force on it)

Ancestry of “Greifzange”, step by step

Greifzange traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German greifen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangreifento grab; to grasp; to grip; to grab; to seize; to...
2Middle High Germangrīfento grab, to touch
3Old High Germangrīfanto grab, to grasp, to gripe
4Proto-West Germanicgrīpanto grab, to grasp
5Proto-Germanicgrīpanąto grab, grasp
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰreyb-to grab, grasp; to grasp, grab; to grab, to grasp
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind

via German Zange

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanZangea pair of pincers, pliers, tongs, forceps
2Middle High Germanzange
3Old High Germanzangatongs
4Proto-West Germanic*tangutongs
5Proto-Germanictangōtongs
6Proto-Indo-Europeandenḱ-to bite
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer-