Where does “nachäffen” come from?

nachäffen (German) comes from German nach-, from German nach, from Middle High German nāh, from Old High German nāh, from Proto-Germanic nēhwiz, from Proto-Germanic nēhw, from Proto-Germanic nēhwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂nḗḱwos — to reach, to attain.

nachäffen (German): to ape, to mimic; to copycat, to imitate

Definitions

  1. to ape, to mimic; to copycat, to imitate

Ancestry of “nachäffen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germannach-indicates a later action as in nacharbeiten,...
2Germannachafter, past; after, behind; to, towards
3Middle High Germannāh
4Old High Germannāhnear, close; close, near
5Proto-Germanicnēhwizcloser, nearer
6Proto-Germanicnēhwnear, close
7Proto-Germanicnēhwaznear, close
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂nḗḱwos
9Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂neḱ-to reach, to attain

Words derived from “nachäffen

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂neḱ-Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂nḗḱwosEvery word from Proto-Germanic nēhwaz
nachäffen — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer