Where does “Schweifstern” come from?

Schweifstern (German) comes from German stern, from Middle High German stërne, from Old High German sterno, from Proto-West Germanic sternō, from Proto-Germanic sternô, from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- — to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth.

Schweifstern (German): comet

Definitions

  1. comet

Ancestry of “Schweifstern”, step by step

Schweifstern traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German stern

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germansterna star; a small luminous dot that can be seen on the night sky
2Middle High Germanstërnestar
3Old High Germansternostar
4Proto-West Germanicsternō—
5Proto-Germanicsternôstar
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂stḗrstar
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂eHs-to be/become dry; to burn, to glow; hearth

via German Schweif

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchweiftail
2Middle High Germansweif—
3Old High Germansweif—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂eHs- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂stḗr →Every word from Proto-Germanic sternô →