Etymology Explorer › German

Where does “sterben” come from?

sterben (German) comes from Middle High German sterben, from Old High German sterban, from Proto-West Germanic *sterban, from Proto-Germanic sterbaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)terp- — to lose force; lose sensibility, become numb; be...

sterben (German): to die; to die of a death

Definitions

  1. to die; to die of a death

Ancestry of “sterben”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germansterben—
2Old High Germansterban"strong class III"; to die, become lifeless
3Proto-West Germanic*sterban—
4Proto-Germanicsterbanąto become stiff; to die, become lifeless
5Proto-Indo-European(s)terp-to lose force; lose sensibility, become numb; be...

Words derived from “sterben”

  • unsterblich
  • sterbenslangweilig
  • sterbenskrank
  • Unsterblichkeit
  • absterben
  • Kneipensterben
  • aussterben
  • versterben
  • Sterblichkeit
  • sterblich
  • Sterbebett
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)terp- →