Where does “Tattergreis” come from?

Tattergreis (German) comes from German Greis, from Middle High German grīs, from Old High German grīs, from Proto-West Germanic *grīs, from Proto-Germanic grīsaz — grey; terrible; frightening.

Tattergreis (German): dodderer

Definitions

  1. dodderer

Ancestry of “Tattergreis”, step by step

Tattergreis traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Greis

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanGreisold man
2Middle High Germangrīs—
3Old High Germangrīsgrey
4Proto-West Germanic*grīsgrey
5Proto-Germanicgrīsazgrey; terrible; frightening

via German tattern

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germantatternto shake, to tremble
2Proto-Germanictaltrōną—
3Proto-Germanictaltōnąto sway, dangle, hesitate
4Proto-Indo-Europeandel-to aim, calculate, adjust, count; to reckon,...
Every word from Proto-Germanic grīsaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *grīs →Every word from Old High German grīs →