Where does “widerstreben” come from?
widerstreben (German) comes from German wider-, from Old Saxon widar-, from Old Saxon widar, from Old Saxon withar, from Proto-West Germanic wiþr, from Proto-Germanic wiþrą, from Proto-Indo-European wī-tero-, from Proto-Indo-European wi — apart, asunder; away from, against.
widerstreben (German): to be reluctant to, to show some reluctance, to go against the grain with someone contrary to one's nature
Definitions
- to be reluctant to, to show some reluctance, to go against the grain with someone contrary to one's nature
Ancestry of “widerstreben”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | German | wider- | against, contrary to, contra- |
| 2 | Old Saxon | widar- | Alternative form of withar- |
| 3 | Old Saxon | widar | Alternative form of withar; against |
| 4 | Old Saxon | withar | against, with, opposite, toward |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | wiþr | toward, against |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | wiþrą | toward, against |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | wī-tero- | further apart |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | wi | apart, asunder; away from, against |