Where does “arbeitsunfähig” come from?

arbeitsunfähig (German) comes from German unfähig, from German un-, from Middle High German un-, from Old High German un-, from Proto-West Germanic un-, from Proto-Germanic un-, from Proto-Indo-European n̥-, from Proto-Indo-European ne — not.

arbeitsunfähig (German): unfit for work; unable to work

Definitions

  1. unfit for work; unable to work

Ancestry of “arbeitsunfähig”, step by step

arbeitsunfähig traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German unfähig

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanunfähigincapable, unable, inept; incompetent
2Germanun-un-; grave; bad; horrifying
3Middle High Germanun-
4Old High Germanun-un-; prefix of negation, absence or contrariness
5Proto-West Germanicun-not, un-
6Proto-Germanicun-not, un-
7Proto-Indo-Europeann̥-not, un-
8Proto-Indo-Europeannenot

via German arbeit

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanarbeittoil, regularly performed work, regularly pursued economic activity, labor, job, employment, occupation
2Middle High Germanarbeit
3Old High Germanarbeit
4Proto-West Germanicarbaiþihardship
5Proto-Germanicarbaidizlabour, work, toil; hardship, suffering
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃órbʰosorphan; servant, slave, worker
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₃erbʰ-to change allegiance, status, ownership;...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neEvery word from German un-Every word from Proto-Indo-European n̥-