Where does “Totenkopfflagge” come from?

Totenkopfflagge (German) comes from German Flagge, from English flag, from English flack, from Middle English flacken, from German flackern, from Middle High German vlackern, from Proto-Germanic flakuraz, from Proto-Indo-European plāg- — to wander; to fill.

Totenkopfflagge (German): Jolly Roger

Definitions

  1. Jolly Roger

Ancestry of “Totenkopfflagge”, step by step

Totenkopfflagge traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Flagge

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanFlaggeflag
2EnglishflagA piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem,...
3EnglishflackTo flutter; palpitate; To hang loosely; flag; To...
4Middle Englishflackento palpitate, flutter; to move to and fro,...
5Germanflackernto flicker
6Middle High Germanvlackern
7Proto-Germanicflakurazshaking, wavering
8Proto-Indo-Europeanplāg-
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpelə-to wander; to fill

via German Totenkopf

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanTotenkopfskull
2Germankopfhead
3Middle High Germankopfdrinking vessel
4Latincūppadrinking vessel
5Latincūpatub, cask, tun, vat
6Ancient Greekκώπηa handle
7Proto-Indo-Europeankóh₂p-eh₂
8Proto-Indo-Europeankeh₂p-to seize, grab; to seize; take up; lift; to take,...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pelə-Every word from Proto-Indo-European plāg-Every word from Proto-Germanic flakuraz