Where does “Nachtkerze” come from?

Nachtkerze (German) comes from German nacht, from Middle High German naht, from Old High German naht, from Proto-West Germanic naht, from Proto-Germanic nahts, from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts, from Proto-Indo-European negʷ- — bare, naked.

Nachtkerze (German): evening primrose, any plant of the genus Oenothera

Definitions

  1. evening primrose, any plant of the genus Oenothera

Ancestry of “Nachtkerze”, step by step

Nachtkerze traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German nacht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germannachtnight
2Middle High Germannahtnight
3Old High Germannahtnight
4Proto-West Germanicnahtnight
5Proto-Germanicnahtsnight
6Proto-Indo-Europeannókʷtsnight
7Proto-Indo-Europeannegʷ-bare, naked

via German kerze

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankerzecandle
2Middle High Germankerze—
3Old High Germankerza—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European negʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts →Every word from Proto-Germanic nahts →