Where does “Kunstgriff” come from?

Kunstgriff (German) comes from German griff, from Middle High German grif, from Old High German grif, from Proto-West Germanic *gripi, from Proto-Germanic gripiz, from Proto-Germanic grīpaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰreyb-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.

Kunstgriff (German): ploy, trick

Definitions

  1. ploy, trick

Ancestry of “Kunstgriff”, step by step

Kunstgriff traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German griff

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangrifffirst/third-person singular preterite of greifen
2Middle High Germangrifgriffin, gryphon
3Old High Germangrif
4Proto-West Germanic*gripi
5Proto-GermanicgripizA grip, grabbing or grasp; Something that is held...
6Proto-Germanicgrīpanąto grab, grasp
7Proto-Indo-Europeangʰreyb-to grab, grasp; to grasp, grab; to grab, to grasp
8Proto-Indo-Europeangʰer-to rub; to stroke; to grind

via German kunst

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankunstart
2Middle High Germankunstknowledge, ability
3Old High Germankunstknowledge, wisdom, skill

Words derived from “Kunstgriff

Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʰreyb-Every word from Proto-Germanic grīpaną