Where does “Schmalspur” come from?

Schmalspur (German) comes from German schmal, from Middle High German smal, from Old High German smal, from Proto-West Germanic smal, from Proto-Germanic smalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)mal- — small; little.

Schmalspur (German): A narrow gauge. Some tramways and historic trains...

Definitions

  1. A narrow gauge. Some tramways and historic trains...

Ancestry of “Schmalspur”, step by step

Schmalspur traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German schmal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschmalnarrow; small, slender
2Middle High Germansmal—
3Old High Germansmalsmall
4Proto-West Germanicsmalsmall
5Proto-Germanicsmalazsmall
6Proto-Indo-European(s)mal-small; little

via German spur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanspurtrace rest of something that indicates its former presence; any small amount
2Middle High Germanspur—
3Old High Germanspor—
4Proto-Germanicspurątrack
5Proto-Indo-EuropeansperH-to kick

Words derived from “Schmalspur”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)mal- →