Where does “Pfundskerl” come from?

Pfundskerl (German) comes from German pfund, from Middle High German pfunt, from Old High German pfunt, from Proto-West Germanic *pund, from Proto-Germanic pundą, from Latin pondus, from Proto-Italic pondos, from Proto-Indo-European (s)pénd-os — to stretch.

Pfundskerl (German): great guy

Definitions

  1. great guy

Ancestry of “Pfundskerl”, step by step

Pfundskerl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German pfund

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanpfunda metric pound, 500 grams, half a kilogram
2Middle High Germanpfunt
3Old High Germanpfuntpound
4Proto-West Germanic*pundpound (weight)
5Proto-Germanicpundąpound
6Latinpondusweight; weight of a pound; heaviness, weight of a...
7Proto-Italicpondos
8Proto-Indo-European(s)pénd-os
9Proto-Indo-European(s)pend-to stretch

via German kerl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankerlfellow, guy, chap, bloke
2Middle Low Germankerl
3Proto-Germanickarilazfree man, franklin; little man, young man
4Proto-Germanickaraz
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pend-Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pénd-osEvery word from Proto-Italic pondos