Where does “Mistkäfer” come from?

Mistkäfer (German) comes from German mist, from Middle High German mist, from Old High German mist, from Proto-Germanic mihstaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₃migʰstos, from Proto-Indo-European h₃meygʰ- — fog, mist, cloud; to drizzle.

Mistkäfer (German): dung beetle

Definitions

  1. dung beetle

Ancestry of “Mistkäfer”, step by step

Mistkäfer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German mist

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanmistmanure (domestic animals’ excrement mixed with hay)
2Middle High Germanmist—
3Old High Germanmist—
4Proto-Germanicmihstazcloud, mist, fog
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃migʰstos—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃meygʰ-fog, mist, cloud; to drizzle

via German Käfer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKäferbeetle; young girl, wench; Volkswagen Type 1...
2Middle High Germankëvere—
3Old High Germanchevar—
4Proto-West Germanickefrōbeetle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃meygʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃migʰstos →Every word from Proto-Germanic mihstaz →