Where does “Oberleutnant” come from?
Oberleutnant (German) comes from German Leutnant, from French lieutenant, from French lieu, from Middle French lieu, from Old French leu, from Latin locus, from Old Latin stlocus, from Proto-Italic stlokos — to put, to place; to locate.
Oberleutnant (German): first lieutenant
Ancestry of “Oberleutnant”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | Leutnant | lieutenant |
| 2 | French | lieutenant | lieutenant |
| 3 | French | lieu | place; any of several fish from the Pollachius... |
| 4 | Middle French | lieu | place |
| 5 | Old French | leu | wolf; place |
| 6 | Latin | locus | place, spot; a passage of literature; "in the... |
| 7 | Old Latin | stlocus | — |
| 8 | Proto-Italic | stlokos | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | stel- | to put, to place; to locate |