Where does “Knochenarbeit” come from?

Knochenarbeit (German) comes from German arbeit, from Middle High German arbeit, from Old High German arbeit, from Proto-West Germanic arbaiþi, from Proto-Germanic arbaidiz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃órbʰos, from Proto-Indo-European h₃erbʰ- — to change allegiance, status, ownership;...

Knochenarbeit (German): backbreaking work

Definitions

  1. backbreaking work

Ancestry of “Knochenarbeit”, step by step

Knochenarbeit traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German arbeit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanarbeittoil, regularly performed work, regularly pursued economic activity, labor, job, employment, occupation
2Middle High Germanarbeit
3Old High Germanarbeit
4Proto-West Germanicarbaiþihardship
5Proto-Germanicarbaidizlabour, work, toil; hardship, suffering
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃órbʰosorphan; servant, slave, worker
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃erbʰ-to change allegiance, status, ownership;...

via German Knochen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKnochenbone
2Middle High Germanknochebone, knot
3Old High Germanknohhaknuckle; bone; knot
4Proto-Germanicknukôjoint, bone
5Proto-Indo-Europeangnew-a bundle; knot; knot, bundle
6Proto-Indo-Europeangen-to squeeze, pinch, kink, ball up, concentrate; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃erbʰ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃órbʰosEvery word from Proto-Germanic arbaidiz
Knochenarbeit — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer