Where does “gleichsam” come from?

gleichsam (German) comes from German gleich, from Middle High German gelīch, from Old High German gilīh, from Proto-West Germanic galīk, from Proto-Germanic galīkaz, from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- — to bind, tie.

gleichsam (German): as it were; so to speak; equally; likewise

Definitions

  1. as it were; so to speak; equally; likewise

Ancestry of “gleichsam”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germangleichequal; same; very similar; same; identical
2Middle High Germangelīch—
3Old High Germangilīhequal
4Proto-West Germanicgalīkalike, similar
5Proto-Germanicgalīkazalike, similar; equal
6Proto-Indo-Europeanleyǵ-to bind, tie
Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyǵ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic galīkaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic galīk →
gleichsam — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer