Etymology Explorer › Icelandic

Where does “þumalputtaregla” come from?

þumalputtaregla (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic þumalputti, from Icelandic þumall, from Old Norse þumall, from Proto-Germanic þūmilaz, from Proto-Germanic þūmô, from Proto-Indo-European tūm-, from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- — to swell; to crowd; to be strong.

þumalputtaregla (Icelandic): rule of thumb

Definitions

  1. rule of thumb

Ancestry of “þumalputtaregla”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicþumalputtithumb
2Icelandicþumallthumb
3Old Norseþumallthumb
4Proto-Germanicþūmilazthumb-covering; thumb-sheath
5Proto-Germanicþūmôthumb
6Proto-Indo-Europeantūm-to grow; to swell, to increase; to swell, be...
7Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tewh₂- →