Where does “Stechpalme” come from?

Stechpalme (German) comes from German stechen, from Old High German stehhan, from Proto-West Germanic stekan, from Proto-Germanic stikaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)teyg- — to be sharp; to sting.

Stechpalme (German): holly

Definitions

  1. holly

Ancestry of “Stechpalme”, step by step

Stechpalme traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German stechen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanstechento be sharp, to stick out
2Old High Germanstehhanto stick, attach, nail
3Proto-West Germanicstekanto pierce, to stab, to stick
4Proto-Germanicstikanąto stick; to stab
5Proto-Indo-European(s)teyg-to be sharp; to sting

via German palme

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanpalmepalm tree
2Middle High Germanpalmepalm tree
3Old High Germanpalmpalm tree
4LatinPalmapalm of the hand, hand
5Proto-Italic*palamā—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)teyg- →Every word from Proto-Germanic stikaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic stekan →