Where does “Nachtmahr” come from?

Nachtmahr (German) comes from English mahr, from Arabic مَهْر, from Old Persian 𐎷𐎰𐎼, from Avestan 𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀, from Proto-Iranian miθráh, from Proto-Indo-Iranian mitrás, from Proto-Indo-European mēy- — soft, tender, dear.

Nachtmahr (German): nightmare

Definitions

  1. nightmare

Ancestry of “Nachtmahr”, step by step

Nachtmahr traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English mahr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmahrA mandatory gift from the groom to the bride upon...
2Arabicمَهْرmarriage portion; dowry
3Old Persian𐎷𐎰𐎼Mithra, a Zoroastrian deity
4Avestan𐬨𐬌𐬚𐬭𐬀contract; agreement; pact
5Proto-Iranianmiθráh
6Proto-Indo-Iranianmitráscovenant; treaty; agreement
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmēy-soft, tender, dear

via German nacht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germannachtnight
2Middle High Germannahtnight
3Old High Germannahtnight
4Proto-West Germanicnahtnight
5Proto-Germanicnahtsnight
6Proto-Indo-Europeannókʷtsnight
7Proto-Indo-Europeannegʷ-bare, naked
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mēy-Every word from Proto-Indo-Iranian mitrásEvery word from Proto-Iranian miθráh