Where does “Wunschdenken” come from?

Wunschdenken (German) comes from German denken, from Middle High German denken, from Old High German denken, from Proto-West Germanic þankijan, from Proto-Germanic þankijaną, from Proto-Indo-European teng- — to think.

Wunschdenken (German): wishful thinking

Definitions

  1. wishful thinking

Ancestry of “Wunschdenken”, step by step

Wunschdenken traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German denken

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germandenkento think; to think about; not to forget; to...
2Middle High Germandenken—
3Old High Germandenkento think
4Proto-West Germanicþankijanto think
5Proto-Germanicþankijanąto perceive, to think
6Proto-Indo-Europeanteng-to think

via German Wünsch

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWünschAlternative form of Wunsch; wish; Alternative...
2Middle High Germanwunsch—
3Old High Germanwunsc—
4Proto-Germanicwunskōwish, desire
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwenh₁-to love
Every word from Proto-Indo-European teng- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þankijaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic þankijan →