Where does “Zugzwang” come from?

Zugzwang (German) comes from German Zwang, from Middle High German twanc, from Old High German geduang, from Proto-West Germanic þwangi, from Proto-Germanic þwangiz, from Proto-Indo-European twenk- — to press, squeeze; to squeeze, press, pressure.

Zugzwang (German): zugzwang; situation where somebody is forced to...

Definitions

  1. zugzwang; situation where somebody is forced to...

Ancestry of “Zugzwang”, step by step

Zugzwang traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German Zwang

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanZwangcompulsion, obligation
2Middle High Germantwanc—
3Old High Germangeduang—
4Proto-West Germanicþwangibelt, strap, thong
5Proto-Germanicþwangizbelt, strap, thong; clamp
6Proto-Indo-Europeantwenk-to press, squeeze; to squeeze, press, pressure

via German zug

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanzugprocession
2Middle High Germanzuc—
3Proto-Germanictugiza drawing, tug, pull
4Proto-Indo-Europeandewk-to pull, to draw; to lead

Words derived from “Zugzwang”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European twenk- →