Where does “Schlappschwanz” come from?

Schlappschwanz (German) comes from German schlapp, from Middle Low German slap, from Old Saxon slap, from Proto-West Germanic slāp, from Proto-Germanic slēpaz — sleep.

Schlappschwanz (German): a weakling; a quitter; a limpdick

Definitions

  1. a weakling; a quitter; a limpdick

Ancestry of “Schlappschwanz”, step by step

Schlappschwanz traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German schlapp

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschlappweak, lacking vigour, weary, exhausted; slack,...
2Middle Low Germanslap—
3Old Saxonslapsleep
4Proto-West Germanicslāpsleep
5Proto-Germanicslēpazsleep

via German schwanz

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschwanztail
2Middle High Germanswanztail
3Middle High Germanswanzento swing
4Middle High Germanswanken—
Every word from Proto-Germanic slēpaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic slāp →Every word from Old Saxon slap →