Where does “Hauptmelodie” come from?

Hauptmelodie (German) comes from German Haupt, from Middle High German höubet, from Old High German houbit, from Proto-Germanic haubudą, from Proto-Indo-European káput- — head.

Hauptmelodie (German): main melody

Definitions

  1. main melody

Ancestry of “Hauptmelodie”, step by step

Hauptmelodie traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Haupt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanHaupthead; head; leader; chief; chief
2Middle High Germanhöubethead
3Old High Germanhoubithead
4Proto-Germanichaubudąhead
5Proto-Indo-Europeankáput-head

via German Melodie

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanMelodiemelody, tune sequence of notes that makes up a musical phrase
Every word from Proto-Indo-European káput-