Where does “Schnappschildkröte” come from?

Schnappschildkröte (German) comes from German Schildkröte, from German Schild, from Middle High German schilt, from Old High German scilt, from Proto-West Germanic skeldu, from Proto-Germanic skelduz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)keit-.

Schnappschildkröte (German): snapping turtle

Definitions

  1. snapping turtle

Ancestry of “Schnappschildkröte”, step by step

Schnappschildkröte traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Schildkröte

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchildkröteturtle, tortoise
2GermanSchildshield, buckler; sign, plate
3Middle High Germanschilt—
4Old High Germanscilt—
5Proto-West Germanicskeldushield
6Proto-Germanicskelduzshield
7Proto-Indo-European(s)keit-—

via German schnappen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschnappento snap; to catch; to seize; to nab
2Middle High Germansnabento snap, snort
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)keit- →