Where does “Triebfeder” come from?

Triebfeder (German) comes from German Trieb, from Middle High German trīp, from Middle High German trīben, from Old High German drīvan, from Proto-West Germanic drīban, from Proto-Germanic drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

Triebfeder (German): mainspring, driving force

Definitions

  1. mainspring, driving force

Ancestry of “Triebfeder”, step by step

Triebfeder traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Trieb

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanTriebsprout; drive; urge, impulse, desire
2Middle High Germantrīp
3Middle High Germantrīben
4Old High Germandrīvan
5Proto-West Germanicdrībanto drive, to push, to compel to go
6Proto-Germanicdrībanąto drive, push, compel to go
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold

via German feder

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanfederfeather
2Middle High Germanvëderefeather
3Old High Germanfedarafeather
4Proto-West Germanicfeþrufeather
5Proto-Germanicfeþrōfeather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpéth₂r̥wing; feather
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic drībaną