Where does “Meeresschildkröte” come from?

Meeresschildkröte (German) comes from German Schildkröte, from German Schild, from Middle High German schilt, from Old High German scilt, from Proto-West Germanic skeldu, from Proto-Germanic skelduz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)keit-.

Meeresschildkröte (German): sea turtle

Definitions

  1. sea turtle

Ancestry of “Meeresschildkröte”, step by step

Meeresschildkröte traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Schildkröte

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchildkröteturtle, tortoise
2GermanSchildshield, buckler; sign, plate
3Middle High Germanschilt—
4Old High Germanscilt—
5Proto-West Germanicskeldushield
6Proto-Germanicskelduzshield
7Proto-Indo-European(s)keit-—

via German Meer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanMeersea; lake
2Middle High Germanmere—
3Old High Germanmēromore
4Proto-West Germanic*maiʀōmore, larger
5Proto-Germanicmaizôcomparative degree of *mikilaz; more
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmē-to measure; endeavour, will, temper; many
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)keit- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skelduz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic skeldu →
Meeresschildkröte — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer