Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “abtreiben” come from?

abtreiben (German) comes from German treiben, from Middle High German trīben, from Old High German drīvan, from Proto-West Germanic drīban, from Proto-Germanic drībaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰreybʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- — to support; to hold.

abtreiben (German): to go/be sent off course; to have an abortion; to...

Definitions

  1. to go/be sent off course; to have an abortion; to...

Ancestry of “abtreiben”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germantreibento drive ; to propel; to force; to put forth; to...
2Middle High Germantrīben—
3Old High Germandrīvan—
4Proto-West Germanicdrībanto drive, to push, to compel to go
5Proto-Germanicdrībanąto drive, push, compel to go
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰreybʰ-to drive, push
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰer-to support; to hold
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰer- →