Where does “Ostafrika” come from?
Ostafrika (German) comes from German ōst, from Middle High German ōst, from Old High German ōst, from Old Norse austr, from Proto-Germanic austrą, from Proto-Germanic austraz, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwsteros — in the direction of dawn, east.
Ancestry of “Ostafrika”, step by step
Ostafrika traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German ōst
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | ōst | the east |
| 2 | Middle High German | ōst | — |
| 3 | Old High German | ōst | east |
| 4 | Old Norse | austr | east |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | austrą | east; east, eastward |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | austraz | east, eastern |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | *h₂éwsteros | in the direction of dawn, east |
via German Afrika
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Afrika | Africa |