Where does “Möchtegern” come from?

Möchtegern (German) comes from German gern, from Middle High German gerne, from Old High German gerno, from Proto-West Germanic gernō, from Proto-Germanic gernô, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

Möchtegern (German): a wannabe

Definitions

  1. a wannabe

Ancestry of “Möchtegern”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangernwillingly; gladly; with pleasure; much; a lot;...
2Middle High Germangerne—
3Old High Germangernowillingly
4Proto-West Germanicgernōwillingly, eagerly
5Proto-Germanicgernôwillingly, eagerly
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic gernô →Every word from Proto-West Germanic gernō →