Where does “Zwangsarbeiter” come from?

Zwangsarbeiter (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.

Zwangsarbeiter (German): forced laborer

Definitions

  1. forced laborer

Ancestry of “Zwangsarbeiter”, step by step

Zwangsarbeiter 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 Arbeiter

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanArbeiterworker
2Middle High Germanarbeiterday laborer; craftsman
Every word from Proto-Indo-European twenk- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þwangiz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic þwangi →