Where does “Riechsalz” come from?

Riechsalz (German) comes from German salz, from Middle High German salz, from Old High German salz, from Proto-West Germanic salt, from Proto-Germanic saltą, from Proto-Indo-European séh₂l-.

Riechsalz (German): smelling salt

Definitions

  1. smelling salt

Ancestry of “Riechsalz”, step by step

Riechsalz traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German salz

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansalzsalt, table salt, sal
2Middle High Germansalz—
3Old High Germansalz—
4Proto-West Germanicsaltsalty; salt
5Proto-Germanicsaltąsalt
6Proto-Indo-Europeanséh₂l-—

via German riechen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanriechento smell (something); to sniff (something)
2Old High Germanriohhanto smell; to smoke
3Proto-West Germanicreukanto smoke, to give off smoke
4Proto-Germanicreukanąto smoke, to give off a vapour
5Proto-Indo-Europeanrougi-—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European séh₂l- →Every word from Proto-Germanic saltą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic salt →