Where does “Zahnwale” come from?

Zahnwale (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.

Zahnwale (German): plural of Zahnwal

Definitions

  1. plural of Zahnwal

Ancestry of “Zahnwale”, step by step

Zahnwale 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 Wale

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWaleplural of Wal: whales; whales
2GermanWalwhale
3Old High Germanwalbattlefield
4Proto-West Germanichwalwhale
5Proto-Germanichwalazwhale, sheatfish
6Proto-Indo-European(s)kʷáloslarge fish; sheatfish
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ed- →