Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Nachtmusik” come from?

Nachtmusik (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.

Nachtmusik (German): serenade

Definitions

  1. serenade

Ancestry of “Nachtmusik”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germannacht—
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 negʷ- →