Where does “Hexenschuss” come from?
Hexenschuss (German) comes from German hexe, from Middle High German hecse, from Old High German hagazussa, from Proto-Germanic hagatusjō, from Proto-Germanic hagaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱak-, from Proto-Indo-European kek- / ḱek- / kekʰ- / ḱekʰ-.
Hexenschuss (German): lumbago
Ancestry of “Hexenschuss”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | hexe | inflection of hexen:
## first-person singular... |
| 2 | Middle High German | hecse | — |
| 3 | Old High German | hagazussa | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | hagatusjō | witch |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | hagaz | abled, capable; suitable, comfortable |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ḱak- | branch, pole; branch, stick; to be able, help |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kek- / ḱek- / kekʰ- / ḱekʰ- | — |