Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “putzen” come from?

putzen (German) comes from Middle High German butze, from Proto-Germanic buttaz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰnós, from Proto-Indo-European bʰudʰmḗn, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

putzen (German): to clean, especially by rubbing with something...

Definitions

  1. to clean, especially by rubbing with something...

Ancestry of “putzen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanbutzelump, piece, stump
2Proto-Germanicbuttazcut off; chopped; stumpy; end; piece
3Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰnósbottom
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰudʰmḗnbottom
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “putzen”

  • poutzer
  • Putzmann
  • Putzfrau
  • Putzer
  • oppoetsen
  • poetsen
  • assepoester
  • Assepoester
  • puss
  • pusse
  • pucol
  • puccer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →