Where does “Schwertwal” come from?

Schwertwal (German) comes from German Schwert, from Middle High German swert, from Old High German swert, from Proto-West Germanic swerd, from Proto-Germanic swerdą, from Proto-Indo-European swēr- — heavy.

Schwertwal (German): killer whale

Definitions

  1. killer whale

Ancestry of “Schwertwal”, step by step

Schwertwal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Schwert

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanSchwertsword; blade; dorsal fin
2Middle High Germanswertsword
3Old High Germanswertsword
4Proto-West Germanicswerdsword
5Proto-Germanicswerdąsword
6Proto-Indo-Europeanswēr-heavy

via German wal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanwalwhale
2Middle High Germanwala whale
3Old High Germanwalbattlefield
4Proto-West Germanichwalwhale
5Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swēr- →Every word from Proto-Germanic swerdą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic swerd →