Where does “Minuszeichen” come from?

Minuszeichen (German) comes from German zeichen, from Old High German zeihhan, from Proto-West Germanic taikn, from Proto-Germanic taikną, from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- — to point out.

Minuszeichen (German): minus sign

Definitions

  1. minus sign

Ancestry of “Minuszeichen”, step by step

Minuszeichen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German zeichen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanzeichensign, token
2Old High Germanzeihhansign, symbol, feature; sign, symbol
3Proto-West Germanictaiknsign, token, symbol
4Proto-Germanictaiknąsign, token, symbol
5Proto-Indo-Europeandeyḱ-to point out

via German Minus

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanMinusminus negative quantity
2Latinminusnominative neuter singular of minor; accusative...
3Proto-Italicminosless
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deyḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic taikną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic taikn →
Minuszeichen — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer