Where does “Stellmesser” come from?

Stellmesser (German) comes from German messer, from German messen, from Middle High German mëȥȥen, from Old High German mëȥȥen, from Proto-Germanic *metan, from Proto-Germanic metaną, from Proto-Indo-European mēd-, from Proto-Indo-European med- — to measure; to give advice; healing.

Stellmesser (German): jack-knife

Definitions

  1. jack-knife

Ancestry of “Stellmesser”, step by step

Stellmesser traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German messer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanmesserknife
2Germanmessento measure; to compete; to measure; to be a given...
3Middle High Germanmëȥȥen—
4Old High Germanmëȥȥen—
5Proto-Germanic*metan—
6Proto-Germanicmetanąto measure
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmēd-to measure
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmed-to measure; to give advice; healing

via German Stellen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanStellengerund of stellen; plural of Stelle
2Middle High Germanstellento put, to place
3Old High Germanstellen—
4Proto-West Germanicstalljanto put, to place
5Proto-Indo-Europeanstel-to put, to place; to locate
Every word from Proto-Indo-European med- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European mēd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic metaną →