Where does “gaffen” come from?

gaffen (German) comes from Middle High German gaffen, from Old High German gaffōn, from Proto-Germanic gapōną, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁y-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰih₁-.

gaffen (German): to stare at curiously, rubberneck

Definitions

  1. to stare at curiously, rubberneck

Ancestry of “gaffen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germangaffento gape; to stare
2Old High Germangaffōn—
3Proto-Germanicgapōnąto gaze, observe
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰeh₁y-to yawn, gape; to gape, be wide open; to gape,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰih₁-—

Words derived from “gaffen”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰih₁- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰeh₁y- →Every word from Proto-Germanic gapōną →