Where does “Ostsee” come from?
Ostsee (German) comes from German Ost, 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 “Ostsee”, step by step
Ostsee traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Ost
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Ost | the east; a wind coming from 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 See
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | See | lake; sea, ocean; sea, sea condition, swell |
| 2 | Old High German | sēo | sea |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | saiwi | sea |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | saiwiz | sea, ocean |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | sīhwaną | to filter |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | seykʷ- | to moisten; to filter |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | sey- | to be wet; dribble; run; to stretch one's arm;... |