Where does “Zwang” come from?

Zwang (German) comes 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.

Zwang (German): compulsion, obligation

Definitions

  1. compulsion, obligation

Ancestry of “Zwang”, step by step

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

Words derived from “Zwang

Every word from Proto-Indo-European twenk-