Where does “Mehlschwalbe” come from?

Mehlschwalbe (German) comes from German Mehl, from Middle High German mel, from Old High German melo, from West Germanic *melu, from Proto-Germanic melwą, from Proto-Indo-European melh₂-, from Proto-Indo-European mel-, from Proto-Indo-European mey- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

Mehlschwalbe (German): house martin

Definitions

  1. house martin

Ancestry of “Mehlschwalbe”, step by step

Mehlschwalbe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Mehl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanMehlflour; meal; powder; dust
2Middle High Germanmel—
3Old High Germanmeloflour
4West Germanic*melu—
5Proto-Germanicmelwąground corn, meal, flour
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmelh₂-to grind, to crush
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via German Schwalbe

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchwalbeswallow, martin; dive; Schwalbe
2Middle High Germanswalwe—
3Old High Germanswalwa—
4Proto-West Germanic*swalwāswallow (bird)
5Proto-Germanicswalwǭswallow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European melh₂- →