Where does “Mistkerl” come from?

Mistkerl (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.

Mistkerl (German): bastard; swine; nasty guy

Definitions

  1. bastard; swine; nasty guy

Ancestry of “Mistkerl”, step by step

Mistkerl 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 kerl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankerlfellow, guy, chap, bloke
2Middle Low Germankerl—
3Proto-Germanickarilazfree man, franklin; little man, young man
4Proto-Germanickaraz—
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃meygʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₃migʰstos →Every word from Proto-Germanic mihstaz →