Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “Vergeltung” come from?

Vergeltung (German) comes from German vergelten, from Middle High German vergelten, from Old High German firgeltan, from Proto-Germanic frageldaną, from Proto-Germanic fra-, from Proto-Indo-European pro-, from Proto-Indo-European por-, from Proto-Indo-European per- — passed , crossed.

Vergeltung (German): requital; reciprocation; payback

Definitions

  1. requital; reciprocation; payback

Ancestry of “Vergeltung”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanvergeltento retaliate; to reward
2Middle High Germanvergelten—
3Old High Germanfirgeltan—
4Proto-Germanicfrageldanąto pay up; renumerate; to pay back; repay;...
5Proto-Germanicfra-off, away; completely, fully, up
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
7Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
8Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
9Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →