Where does “kviksølvi” come from?

kviksølvi (Greenlandic) comes from Danish kviksølv, from Danish kvik, from Old Norse kvikr, from Proto-Germanic kwikwaz, from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós, from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- — to live.

kviksølvi (Greenlandic): mercury

Definitions

  1. mercury

Ancestry of “kviksølvi”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Danishkviksølvmercury
2Danishkviklively; clever, quick-witted; fast
3Old Norsekvikralive; lively, quick
4Proto-Germanickwikwazalive; lively, quick
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʷih₃wósalive, living
6Proto-Indo-Europeangʷeih₃w-to live
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷeih₃w- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European gʷih₃wós →Every word from Proto-Germanic kwikwaz →