Where does “Leichenfledderer” come from?

Leichenfledderer (German) comes from German Leiche, from Middle High German līche, from Old High German līh, from Proto-West Germanic līk, from Proto-Germanic līką, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

Leichenfledderer (German): someone who steals (clothes, valuables) from dead bodies, e.g. on a battlefield

Definitions

  1. someone who steals (clothes, valuables) from dead bodies, e.g. on a battlefield

Ancestry of “Leichenfledderer”, step by step

Leichenfledderer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Leiche

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanLeichedead body, corpse
2Middle High Germanlīche—
3Old High Germanlīhbody
4Proto-West Germaniclīkbody
5Proto-Germaniclīkąbody; corpse, dead body; leech-line, bolt-rope
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie

via German fleddern

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanfleddernto steal (clothes, valuables) from someone helpless, especially a corpse, but also a drunk person etc
2Middle Dutchvlederento flutter, float, hover
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic līką →Every word from Proto-West Germanic līk →