Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Schmuggel” come from?

Schmuggel (German) comes from Low German smuggeln, from Middle Low German smugen, from Proto-West Germanic smeugan, from Proto-Germanic *smeuganą, from Proto-Indo-European (s)mewk-, from Proto-Indo-European smewg- — to slip, glide, slide; to slip, glide; be slimy.

Schmuggel (German): smuggling

Definitions

  1. smuggling

Ancestry of “Schmuggel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Low Germansmuggeln—
2Middle Low Germansmugen—
3Proto-West Germanicsmeuganto creep, to crawl
4Proto-Germanic*smeuganą—
5Proto-Indo-European(s)mewk-to let loose, release; to slip away, escape, flee
6Proto-Indo-Europeansmewg-to slip, glide, slide; to slip, glide; be slimy

Words derived from “Schmuggel”

  • szmugiel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smewg- →