Where does “Klopfzeichen” come from?

Klopfzeichen (German) comes from German zeichen, from Old High German zeihhan, from Proto-West Germanic taikn, from Proto-Germanic taikną, from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- — to point out.

Klopfzeichen (German): knock as a signal

Definitions

  1. knock as a signal

Ancestry of “Klopfzeichen”, step by step

Klopfzeichen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German zeichen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanzeichensign, token
2Old High Germanzeihhansign, symbol, feature; sign, symbol
3Proto-West Germanictaiknsign, token, symbol
4Proto-Germanictaiknąsign, token, symbol
5Proto-Indo-Europeandeyḱ-to point out

via German klopfen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanklopfento knock, to rap; to throb; to beat quickly or...
2Middle High Germanklopfen—
3Old High Germanclophōn—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic taikną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic taikn →