Where does “nu” come from?

nu (German) comes from Proto-Iranian náwah, from Proto-Balto-Slavic náwas, from Proto-Indo-Aryan náwas, from Proto-Indo-European néwyos, from Proto-Indo-European néwos, from Proto-Indo-European new- — new; to nod, assent to.

nu (German): yes; yeah; expresses agreement or understanding

Definitions

  1. yes; yeah; expresses agreement or understanding

Ancestry of “nu”, step by step

nu traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Proto-Iranian náwah

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Iraniannáwahnew
2Proto-Balto-Slavicnáwasnew
3Proto-Indo-Aryannáwas—
4Proto-Indo-EuropeannéwyosAlternative form of *néwos; new
5Proto-Indo-Europeannéwosnew
6Proto-Indo-Europeannew-new; to nod, assent to

via Middle High German nu

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germannu—
2Old High Germannu—
3Proto-Germanicnunow
4Proto-Indo-Europeannūnow

Words derived from “nu”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European new- →