Where does “Zahnwal” come from?

Zahnwal (German) comes from German Zahn, from Middle High German zan, from Old High German zan, from Proto-West Germanic tanþ, from Proto-Germanic tanþs, from Proto-Indo-European h₃dónts, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- — to eat.

Zahnwal (German): toothed whale, a member of the Odontoceti...

Definitions

  1. toothed whale, a member of the Odontoceti...

Ancestry of “Zahnwal”, step by step

Zahnwal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Zahn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanZahntooth; fang; tusk
2Middle High Germanzantooth
3Old High GermanzanAlternative form of zand
4Proto-West Germanictanþtooth
5Proto-Germanictanþstooth
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃dóntstooth
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ed-to eat

via German Wal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWalwhale
2Old High Germanwalbattlefield
3Proto-West Germanichwalwhale
4Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- →
Zahnwal — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer