Where does “querdenken” come from?

querdenken (German) comes from German denken, from Middle High German denken, from Old High German denken, from Proto-West Germanic þankijan, from Proto-Germanic þankijaną, from Proto-Indo-European teng- — to think.

querdenken (German): to think outside the box

Definitions

  1. to think outside the box

Ancestry of “querdenken”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germandenkento think; to think about; not to forget; to...
2Middle High Germandenken—
3Old High Germandenkento think
4Proto-West Germanicþankijanto think
5Proto-Germanicþankijanąto perceive, to think
6Proto-Indo-Europeanteng-to think

Words derived from “querdenken”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European teng- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þankijaną →Every word from Proto-West Germanic þankijan →