Where does “Reichsautobahn” come from?
Reichsautobahn (German) comes from German Autobahn, from German Auto, from German automobil, from Spanish automóvil, from Russian автомоби́ль, from French automobile, from French auto-, from Ancient Greek αὐτο- — Postpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact.
Ancestry of “Reichsautobahn”, step by step
Reichsautobahn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Autobahn
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Autobahn | A class of road built to freeway standards,... |
| 2 | German | Auto | car |
| 3 | German | automobil | automobile |
| 4 | Spanish | automóvil | automobile |
| 5 | Russian | автомоби́ль | car, automobile, motorcar |
| 6 | French | automobile | automotive; automobile |
| 7 | French | auto- | auto- regarding oneself |
| 8 | Ancient Greek | αὐτο- | self- |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | αὐτός | αὐτή f, αὐτό n; "first/second declension";... |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ew | away from, off; again |
| 11 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰe | Postpositional intensifying particle: indeed, at any rate, in fact |
via German reich
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | reich | rich; singular imperative of reichen |
| 2 | Middle High German | rīche | rich |
| 3 | Old High German | rīhhi | rich, mighty; power, might, empire; realm |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | rīkī | mighty, powerful; rich; kingdom, realm |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | rīkijaz | kingly, royal, noble; mighty, powerful; rich |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | rīks | king, ruler |
| 7 | Proto-Celtic | rīxs | king |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃rḗǵs | king, ruler |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | h₃reǵ- | to straighten, to right oneself; right; just |