Where does “Schwarzgeld” come from?

Schwarzgeld (German) comes from German Schwärz, from Middle High German swarz, from Old High German swarz, from Proto-West Germanic swart, from Proto-Germanic swartaz, from Proto-Indo-European swordo- — dirty, dark, black.

Schwarzgeld (German): dirty money, black money, illicit earnings

Definitions

  1. dirty money, black money, illicit earnings

Ancestry of “Schwarzgeld”, step by step

Schwarzgeld traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Schwärz

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchwärz—
2Middle High Germanswarz—
3Old High Germanswarzblack
4Proto-West Germanicswartblack
5Proto-Germanicswartazblack
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswordo-dirty, dark, black

via German geld

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangeldmoney
2Middle High Germangelt—
3Old High Germangeltpayment, money
4Proto-West Germanicgeldmoney
5Proto-GermanicgeldąThat which is paid out; reward, gift, money
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʰeldʰ-to repay, reward; to pay; to pay for, repay
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swordo- →Every word from Proto-Germanic swartaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic swart →