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.
Ancestry of “nu”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Iranian | náwah | — |
| 2 | Proto-Balto-Slavic | náwas | new |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-Aryan | náwas | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | néwyos | Alternative form of *néwos; new |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | néwos | new |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | new- | new; to nod, assent to |