Where does “Schlafmittel” come from?

Schlafmittel (German) comes from German mittel, from Middle High German mittel, from Old High German mittil, from Proto-Germanic midlą, from Proto-Germanic midjō, from Proto-Indo-European médʰyos, from Proto-Indo-European medʰi-, from Proto-Indo-European me — in the middle of, near, by, around, with.

Schlafmittel (German): soporific, hypnotic, sleeping pill

Definitions

  1. soporific, hypnotic, sleeping pill

Ancestry of “Schlafmittel”, step by step

Schlafmittel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German mittel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanmittelmiddle, in the middle; average, middling
2Middle High Germanmittel—
3Old High Germanmittil—
4Proto-Germanicmidląmiddle
5Proto-Germanicmidjōmiddle, midst
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmédʰyosmiddle
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmedʰi-with, among; with, along
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmein the middle of, near, by, around, with

via German Schlaf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchlafsleep; temple
2Germanslāf—
3Middle High Germanslāf—
4Old High Germanslāfslack
5Proto-Germanicslap-—
6Proto-Indo-European(s)leh₂b-to hang loosely, be weak; to be weak, limp,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European me →Every word from Proto-Indo-European medʰi- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European médʰyos →