Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “klettern” come from?

klettern (German) comes from German kletten, from Proto-Indo-European gleyt-, from Proto-Indo-European gley-, from Proto-Indo-European gel- — to be cold, to freeze.

klettern (German): to climb

Definitions

  1. to climb

Ancestry of “klettern”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germankletten—
2Proto-Indo-Europeangleyt-to cling to, cleave, stick
3Proto-Indo-Europeangley-to glue, paste, stick together; to glue, stick...
4Proto-Indo-Europeangel-to be cold, to freeze

Words derived from “klettern”

  • Klettergarten
  • klättra
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gel- →