Where does “Messer” come from?
Messer (German) comes from Middle High German messer, from Old High German mezzisahs, from Proto-West Germanic matisahs, from Proto-West Germanic mati, from Proto-Germanic matiz, from Proto-Germanic mōsą, from Proto-Indo-European meh₂d- — to be wet, to become wet; to meet, approach,...
Messer (German): knife; agent noun of messen
Definitions
- knife; agent noun of messen
Ancestry of “Messer”, step by step
Messer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle High German messer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | messer | — |
| 2 | Old High German | mezzisahs | knife |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | matisahs | food knife |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | mati | food |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | matiz | food |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | mōsą | wet food, mush, porridge; food, victuals |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | meh₂d- | to be wet, to become wet; to meet, approach,... |