Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Untertreibung” come from?

Untertreibung (German) comes from German untertreiben, from German treiben, 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.

Untertreibung (German): understatement, trivialization

Definitions

  1. understatement, trivialization

Ancestry of “Untertreibung”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanuntertreibento understate; to trivialize
2Germantreibento drive ; to propel; to force; to put forth; to...
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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →