Where does “Pfandbrief” come from?

Pfandbrief (German) comes from German brief, from Middle High German brief, from Old High German briaf, from Latin breve, from Latin brevis, from Proto-Italic *breɣʷis, from Proto-Indo-European mréǵʰus, from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ- — short.

Pfandbrief (German): covered bond

Definitions

  1. covered bond

Ancestry of “Pfandbrief”, step by step

Pfandbrief traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German brief

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanbriefletter (written message)
2Middle High Germanbrief
3Old High Germanbriaf
4Latinbrevenominative neuter singular of brevis; accusative...
5Latinbrevisshort, small, little, narrow; brief, short;...
6Proto-Italic*breɣʷis
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmréǵʰusshort; brief
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmreǵʰ-short

via German Pfand

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanPfandpawn; pledge; can or bottle deposit
2Middle High Germanphant
3Old High Germanphant
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mreǵʰ-