Where does “zwölf” come from?

zwölf (German) comes from Old High German zwelif, from Old High German twelif, from Proto-Germanic twalif, from Proto-Germanic -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

zwölf (German): twelve

Definitions

  1. twelve

Ancestry of “zwölf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanzweliftwelve
2Old High Germantwelif—
3Proto-Germanictwaliftwelve
4Proto-Germanic-lifleft over
5Proto-Indo-Europeanleyp-to stick; fat or sticky substance
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlēy-to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...

Words derived from “zwölf”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lēy- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European leyp- →Every word from Proto-Germanic -lif →