Where does “Quäker” come from?
Quäker (German) comes from English Quaker, from English Quake, from Middle English quaken, from Old English cwacian, from Proto-Germanic kwakōną, from Proto-Indo-European gʷog- — to shake, swing.
Quäker (German): Quaker
Ancestry of “Quäker”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | Quaker | A believer of the Quaker faith and a member of... |
| 2 | English | Quake | — |
| 3 | Middle English | quaken | To tremble with fear or anger; To tremble from... |
| 4 | Old English | cwacian | to quake |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | kwakōną | to shake, quiver, tremble; to croak |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʷog- | to shake, swing |