Where does “windelweich” come from?

windelweich (German) comes from German weich, from Middle High German weich, from Old High German weih, from Proto-West Germanic waikw, from Proto-Germanic waikwaz, from Proto-Indo-European weyḱ-, from Proto-Indo-European wey- — to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

windelweich (German): weak, submissive

Definitions

  1. weak, submissive

Ancestry of “windelweich”, step by step

windelweich traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German weich

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanweichsoft
2Middle High Germanweich
3Old High Germanweihsoft
4Proto-West Germanicwaikwweak, soft, pliable
5Proto-Germanicwaikwazweak, soft, pliable
6Proto-Indo-Europeanweyḱ-to enter in; to settle; settlement
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwey-to wither; fade; to move, go ahead; to be strong;...

via German Windel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanWindeldiaper
2Middle High Germanwindel
3Old High Germanwintila
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyḱ-Every word from Proto-Germanic waikwaz