Where does “hegen und pflegen” come from?

hegen und pflegen (German) comes from German und, from Middle High German unde, from Old High German unti, from Proto-Germanic andi, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énti, from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- — on, onto.

hegen und pflegen (German): to care for deeply

Definitions

  1. to care for deeply

Ancestry of “hegen und pflegen”, step by step

hegen und pflegen traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via German und

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanundand; so?, now?, and?
2Middle High Germanunde—
3Old High Germanuntiand
4Proto-Germanicandiin addition, furthermore, and
5Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntiopposite; near; in front
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂éntsforehead; front
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ent-face; forehead; front
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂en-on, onto

via German pflegen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanpflegento look after; to care for; to nurse; to perform...
2Middle High Germanphlëgen—
3Old High Germanplëgan—
4Proto-West Germanicplehanto stand up for; to be responsible for

via German hegen

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanhegento cherish; to harbor, to have, to hold
2Middle High Germanhegen—
3Old High Germanheggan—
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂en- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ent- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂énts →