Where does “Scharfrichter” come from?

Scharfrichter (German) comes from German scharf, from Middle High German scharpf, from Old High German scarf, from Proto-West Germanic skarp, from Proto-Germanic skarpaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerb-, from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- — to caw, crow.

Scharfrichter (German): an executioner, particularly for executions involving bloodshed

Definitions

  1. an executioner, particularly for executions involving bloodshed

Ancestry of “Scharfrichter”, step by step

Scharfrichter traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German scharf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanscharfsharp; able to cut; sharp; sharp; in focus
2Middle High Germanscharpfsharp
3Old High Germanscarfsharp
4Proto-West Germanicskarpsharp
5Proto-Germanicskarpazrough
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kerb-rough, sharp
7Proto-Indo-Europeansḱer-to caw, crow

via German Richter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanRichterjudge
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sḱer- →
Scharfrichter — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer