Where does “peinlich” come from?
peinlich (German) comes from German Pein, from Middle High German pīne, from Old High German pīna, from Latin poenā, from Ancient Greek ποινή, from Proto-Hellenic kʷoinā́, from Proto-Indo-European kʷoynéh₂, from Proto-Indo-European kʷey- — to pay; to avenge.
peinlich (German): Pertaining to torture; awkward; embarrassing,...
Definitions
- Pertaining to torture; awkward; embarrassing,...
Ancestry of “peinlich”, step by step
peinlich traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via German Pein
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | Pein | torment; agony; pain |
| 2 | Middle High German | pīne | — |
| 3 | Old High German | pīna | — |
| 4 | Latin | poenā | penalty, punishment |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | ποινή | blood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | kʷoinā́ | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷoynéh₂ | payment; punishment, vengeance |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | kʷey- | to pay; to avenge |
via German lich
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | lich | — |