Where does “Sprichwort” come from?
Sprichwort (German) comes from German wôrt, from Middle High German wort, from Old High German wort, from Proto-West Germanic word, from Proto-Germanic wurdą, from Proto-Indo-European werdʰo-, from Proto-Indo-European werh₁- — to speak, say.
Sprichwort (German): saying, proverb, adage, maxim
Definitions
- saying, proverb, adage, maxim
Ancestry of “Sprichwort”, step by step
Sprichwort traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German wôrt
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | wôrt | plural word as an isolated unit |
| 2 | Middle High German | wort | word; verb |
| 3 | Old High German | wort | word; verb |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | word | word |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | wurdą | word |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | werdʰo- | word |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | werh₁- | to speak, say |
via German sprich
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | sprich | singular imperative of sprechen; that is |