Where does “schmähen” come from?
schmähen (German) comes from Middle High German smæhen, from Old High German smāhen, from Proto-Germanic smēhijaną, from Proto-Indo-European smēyg-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.
schmähen (German): To revile; mock; verbally abuse; To blaspheme
Definitions
- To revile; mock; verbally abuse; To blaspheme
Ancestry of “schmähen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | smæhen | — |
| 2 | Old High German | smāhen | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | smēhijaną | to belittle, to despise; to reduce; belittle;... |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | smēyg- | small, delicate, thin; twig, pole; crumb; small,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | smē- | to rub; smear |
Words derived from “schmähen”