Where does “Nährmutter” come from?

Nährmutter (German) comes from German nähren, from Middle High German nerren, from Old High German nerjan, from Proto-West Germanic naʀjan, from Proto-Germanic nazjaną, from Proto-Indo-European nes- — to return home.

Nährmutter (German): foster mother

Definitions

  1. foster mother

Ancestry of “Nährmutter”, step by step

Nährmutter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German nähren

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germannährento feed
2Middle High Germannerren—
3Old High Germannerjan—
4Proto-West Germanicnaʀjanto save, to rescue
5Proto-Germanicnazjanąto save; rescue; heal
6Proto-Indo-Europeannes-to return home

via German mutter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanmuttermother
2Middle High Germanmuotermother
3Old High Germanmuotermother
4Old Frisianmōder—
5Proto-Germanicmōdērmother
6Proto-Indo-Europeanméh₂tērmother
Every word from Proto-Indo-European nes- →