Where does “Wotan” come from?
Wotan (German) comes from Old High German Wōdan, from Proto-Germanic Wōdanaz, from Proto-Germanic wōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European weh₂t- — excited, inspired; possessed, raging.
Wotan (German): Odin
Definitions
- Odin
Ancestry of “Wotan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | Wōdan | The supreme deity of the Germanic pantheon, corresponding to the Scandinavian god Odin |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | Wōdanaz | Woden or Odin, the Germanic supreme god. Identified in later times with the Roman god Mercury |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | wōdaz | excited, energised, spirited; frenzied, obsessed;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | weh₂t- | excited, inspired; possessed, raging |