Where does “Trittbrettfahrer” come from?
Trittbrettfahrer (German) comes from German Trittbrett, from German brett, from Middle High German bret, from Old High German bret, from Proto-West Germanic *bred, from Proto-Germanic bredą, from Proto-Germanic bʰredʰóm, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer-dʰ- — to bear, carry.
Trittbrettfahrer (German): freeloader
Definitions
- freeloader
Ancestry of “Trittbrettfahrer”, step by step
Trittbrettfahrer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Trittbrett
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Trittbrett | footboard |
| 2 | German | brett | board, plank |
| 3 | Middle High German | bret | a board, a plank |
| 4 | Old High German | bret | — |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | *bred | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | bredą | board, plank, shelf |
| 7 | Proto-Germanic | bʰredʰóm | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer-dʰ- | — |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
via German Fahrer
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Fahrer | agent noun of fahren; driver |
| 2 | German | fahren | to locomote forth in an accelerated speed; to go;... |
| 3 | Middle High German | varn | to fare, to go |
| 4 | Old High German | faran | to proceed |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | faran | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | faraną | to go, to travel |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | per- | before, in front; first; to go through |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pr̥tós | passed , crossed |