Where does “Wattestäbchen” come from?

Wattestäbchen (German) comes from German Stäbchen, from German stab, from Middle High German stap, from Old High German stab, from Proto-Germanic *stab.

Wattestäbchen (German): cotton swab

Definitions

  1. cotton swab

Ancestry of “Wattestäbchen”, step by step

Wattestäbchen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Stäbchen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanStäbchenDiminutive of Stab; rod; skewer
2Germanstabrod, staff, baton
3Middle High Germanstap—
4Old High Germanstab—
5Proto-Germanic*stab—

via German Watte

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWattecotton wool
2Dutchwattencotton wool
3Frenchouatecotton wool; first-person singular present...
Every word from Proto-Germanic *stab →Every word from Old High German stab →Every word from Middle High German stap →