Where does “Reiterschwert” come from?

Reiterschwert (German) comes from German Schwert, from Middle High German swert, from Old High German swert, from Proto-West Germanic swerd, from Proto-Germanic swerdą, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.

Reiterschwert (German): cavalry sword

Definitions

  1. cavalry sword

Ancestry of “Reiterschwert”, step by step

Reiterschwert traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Schwert

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchwertsword; blade; dorsal fin
2Middle High Germanswertsword
3Old High Germanswertsword
4Proto-West Germanicswerdsword
5Proto-Germanicswerdąsword
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

via German Reiter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanReiterrider; mounted man-at-arms, cuirassier; tab
2Middle High Germanrîter—
3Old High Germanrîtari—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swēr- →Every word from Proto-Germanic swerdą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic swerd →