Where does “Wachtmeister” come from?

Wachtmeister (German) comes from German meister, from Middle High German meister, from Old High German meistar, from Vulgar Latin maester, from Latin magister, from Proto-Italic magisteros, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂isteros, from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s — big, great.

Wachtmeister (German): master sentinel a rank of NCO in the cavalry, equivalent to a feldwebel

Definitions

  1. master sentinel a rank of NCO in the cavalry, equivalent to a feldwebel

Ancestry of “Wachtmeister”, step by step

Wachtmeister traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German meister

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanmeistermaster
2Middle High Germanmeistermaster
3Old High Germanmeistar
4Vulgar Latinmaester
5Latinmagisterteacher; master; a title of the Middle Ages,...
6Proto-Italicmagisterosbigger, greater
7Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂isteros
8Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great

via German Wacht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWachtguard
2Middle High Germanwahte
3Old High Germanwahta
4Proto-West Germanicwahtuwatch, vigil
5Proto-Germanicwahtwōwatch, vigil
6Proto-Germanicwakanąto wake, be awake, arise
7Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵ-lively, awake; strong

Words derived from “Wachtmeister

Every word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂sEvery word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂isterosEvery word from Proto-Italic magisteros
Wachtmeister — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer