Where does “Wildkaninchen” come from?

Wildkaninchen (German) comes from German wild, from Middle High German wilde, from Old High German wildi, from Proto-West Germanic wilþī, from Proto-Germanic wilþijaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- — to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool.

Wildkaninchen (German): European rabbit, wild rabbit

Definitions

  1. European rabbit, wild rabbit

Ancestry of “Wildkaninchen”, step by step

Wildkaninchen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German wild

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanwildwild; strange
2Middle High Germanwilde—
3Old High Germanwildiwild
4Proto-West Germanicwilþīwild
5Proto-Germanicwilþijazwild
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂welh₁-to rule; strong, powerful; hair; wool

via German Kaninchen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanKaninchenrabbit
2Middle Low Germankanīneken—
3Middle Dutchconnijn—
4Old Frenchconnin—
5Latincunīculusa rabbit
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂welh₁- →