Where does “Vierbeiner” come from?

Vierbeiner (German) comes from German vier, from Middle High German vier, from Old High German fior, from Proto-West Germanic feuwar, from Proto-Germanic fedwōr, from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwóres, from Proto-Indo-European kʷe- — and.

Vierbeiner (German): quadruped; four-legged animal, especially of dogs and cats

Definitions

  1. quadruped; four-legged animal, especially of dogs and cats

Ancestry of “Vierbeiner”, step by step

Vierbeiner traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German vier

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanvierfour
2Middle High Germanvier—
3Old High Germanfiorfour
4Proto-West Germanicfeuwarfour
5Proto-Germanicfedwōrfour
6Proto-Indo-Europeankʷetwóresfour
7Proto-Indo-Europeankʷe-and

via Norwegian Nynorsk beine

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskbeinea favour
2Old Norsebeinihelp, benefit; hospitable entertainment,...
3Old Norsebeinnstraight, right; hospitable; -legged
4Proto-Germanicbainąleg; bone
5Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyh₂-to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷe- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷetwóres →Every word from Proto-Germanic fedwōr →