Where does “Zahlenspiel” come from?

Zahlenspiel (German) comes from German zahl, from Latvian zāle, from German Saal, from Middle High German sal, from Old High German sal, from Proto-West Germanic sāli, from Proto-Germanic saliz, from Proto-Indo-European sol- — whole.

Zahlenspiel (German): numbers game

Definitions

  1. numbers game

Ancestry of “Zahlenspiel”, step by step

Zahlenspiel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German zahl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanzahlsingular imperative of zahlen; first-person...
2Latvianzālegrass; weed; herb
3GermanSaalhall or large room
4Middle High Germansal
5Old High Germansalhouse, hall; dwelling, house, entrance hall;...
6Proto-West Germanicsālihappiness, prosperity; proper, appropriate time
7Proto-Germanicsalizhouse; dwelling; hall; room
8Proto-Indo-Europeansol-whole

via German spiel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanspiela game instance or way of playing
2Middle High Germanspil
3Old High Germanspil
4Proto-West Germanicspildance; game, exercise
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sol-Every word from Proto-Germanic salizEvery word from Proto-West Germanic sāli