Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Krippenspiel” come from?

Krippenspiel (German) comes from German Krippe, from Middle High German krippe, from Old High German krippa, from Proto-Germanic kribjǭ, from Proto-Indo-European grebʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European ger- — to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...

Krippenspiel (German): nativity play, Christmas pageant

Definitions

  1. nativity play, Christmas pageant

Ancestry of “Krippenspiel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKrippecrib , manger; nativity scene, crèche; crèche
2Middle High Germankrippe—
3Old High Germankrippa—
4Proto-Germanickribjǭa wickerwork; crate; wooden trough; manger; a...
5Proto-Indo-Europeangrebʰ-—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanger-to turn, bend, twist, wind; to tie, bind...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ger- →