Where does “schlichtweg” come from?

schlichtweg (German) comes from German weg, from German enwec, from Old High German weg, from Proto-West Germanic weg, from Proto-Germanic wēgaz, from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ- — to bring; to transport.

Ancestry of “schlichtweg”, step by step

schlichtweg traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German weg

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanwegaway; gone, not there; minus
2Germanenwec
3Old High Germanwegway
4Proto-West Germanicwegway, road
5Proto-Germanicwēgazwave; sea
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweǵʰ-to bring; to transport

via German schlicht

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschlichtplain, simple, artless, natural
2Old Englishslihtlevel; smooth; a striking; a stroke; flash
3Proto-Germanicslihtazslippery; smooth; flat; level
4Proto-Germanicslīkanąto slide, to slip
5Proto-Indo-Europeansleyǵ-to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to...
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weǵʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic wēgazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic weg