Where does “mensch” come from?
mensch (German) comes from Middle High German mensche, from Old High German mennisko, from Proto-West Germanic *mannisk, from Proto-Germanic manniskaz, from Proto-Germanic *mann-, from Proto-Indo-European men- — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
mensch (German): one, they
Ancestry of “mensch”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | mensche | — |
| 2 | Old High German | mennisko | a man; a human; a human being |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | *mannisk | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | manniskaz | human |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | *mann- | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |