Where does “Rotstift” come from?

Rotstift (German) comes from German rōt, from Middle High German rōt, from Old High German rōt, from Proto-West Germanic raud, from Proto-Germanic raudaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rowdʰós, from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ- — red.

Rotstift (German): A red pen

Definitions

  1. A red pen

Ancestry of “Rotstift”, step by step

Rotstift traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German rōt

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanrōt
2Middle High Germanrōtred, red-haired
3Old High Germanrōtred, scarlet, purple-red, brown-red, yellow-red
4Proto-West Germanicraudred
5Proto-Germanicraudazred
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rowdʰósred thing
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁rewdʰ-red

via German Stift

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanStiftpen; pin; pencil
2Germanstiftento endow, to donate
3Old High Germanstiften
4Proto-Germanicstiklaz
5Proto-Germanicstikiza sticking, prick
6Proto-Indo-European(s)teyg-to be sharp; to sting
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁rewdʰ-