Where does “Polarstern” come from?

Polarstern (German) comes from German stern, from Middle High German stërne, from Old High German sterno, from Proto-West Germanic sternō, from Proto-Germanic sternô, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

Polarstern (German): pole star, Pole Star, Polaris

Definitions

  1. pole star, Pole Star, Polaris

Ancestry of “Polarstern”, step by step

Polarstern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German stern

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansterna star; a small luminous dot that can be seen on the night sky
2Middle High Germanstërnestar
3Old High Germansternostar
4Proto-West Germanicsternō
5Proto-Germanicsternôstar
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

via German polar

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanpolarpolar
2Latinpolāris
3Latinpoluspole
4Ancient Greekπόλοςpivot, hinge, axis, pole; axis of the celestial...
5Proto-Indo-Europeankʷel-to turn
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs-
Polarstern — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer