Where does “björgunarhringur” come from?

björgunarhringur (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic björgun, from Icelandic -un, from Icelandic -an, from Old Norse -an, from Proto-Germanic -ōniz, from Proto-Germanic -niz, from Proto-Indo-European -nis.

björgunarhringur (Icelandic): life preserver (generally ring-shaped), life ring

Definitions

  1. life preserver (generally ring-shaped), life ring

Ancestry of “björgunarhringur”, step by step

björgunarhringur traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic björgun

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicbjörgunrescue
2Icelandic-un"Forms nouns from verbs denoting the action or...
3Icelandic-an
4Old Norse-anUsed to derive nouns from class 2 weak verbs;...
5Proto-Germanic-ōnizForms abstract nouns from weak class 2 verbs
6Proto-Germanic-nizForms abstract nouns from verbal roots and stems
7Proto-Indo-European-nis

via Icelandic hringur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandichringurcircle; ring; something round or circular
2Old Norsehringrring
3Proto-Germanichringazring, circle; curve; sound, ring
4Proto-Indo-European(s)krengʰ-to turn, bend
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ker-to cut off; to turn, bend
6Proto-Indo-Europeansek-to cut, cut off, sever
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -nisEvery word from Icelandic -unEvery word from Old Norse -an