Where does “Griffbrett” come from?

Griffbrett (German) comes from German griff, from Middle High German grif, from Old High German grif, from Proto-West Germanic *gripi, from Proto-Germanic gripiz, from Proto-Germanic grīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰreyb-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.

Griffbrett (German): fingerboard

Definitions

  1. fingerboard

Ancestry of “Griffbrett”, step by step

Griffbrett traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German griff

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangrifffirst/third-person singular preterite of greifen
2Middle High Germangrifgriffin, gryphon
3Old High Germangrif
4Proto-West Germanic*gripi
5Proto-GermanicgripizA grip, grabbing or grasp; Something that is held...
6Proto-Germanicgrīpanąto grab, grasp
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʰreyb-to grab, grasp; to grasp, grab; to grab, to grasp
8Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind

via German brett

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanbrettboard, plank
2Middle High Germanbreta board, a plank
3Old High Germanbret
4Proto-West Germanic*bred
5Proto-Germanicbredąboard, plank, shelf
6Proto-Germanicbʰredʰóm
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-dʰ-
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰer-to bear, carry
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer-