Where does “Scherbenhaufen” come from?

Scherbenhaufen (German) comes from German häufen, from Middle High German hūfe, from Proto-West Germanic hūbā, from Proto-Germanic hūbǭ, from Proto-Indo-European kēwp-.

Scherbenhaufen (German): shambles, ruins

Definitions

  1. shambles, ruins

Ancestry of “Scherbenhaufen”, step by step

Scherbenhaufen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German häufen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanhäufento heap (up), to pile up
2Middle High Germanhūfe
3Proto-West Germanichūbāhood, cowl
4Proto-Germanichūbǭa covering for the head; hood; cowl
5Proto-Indo-Europeankēwp-

via German Scherben

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanScherbenearthenware pot
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kēwp-Every word from Proto-Germanic hūbǭEvery word from Proto-West Germanic hūbā