Where does “hryggdýr” come from?

hryggdýr (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic dýr, from Old Norse dýr, from Proto-Norse *ᛞᛖᚢᛉᚨ, from Proto-Germanic deuzą, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm, from Proto-Indo-European dʰéws, from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes- — to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature.

hryggdýr (Icelandic): vertebrate

Definitions

  1. vertebrate

Ancestry of “hryggdýr”, step by step

hryggdýr traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic dýr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicdýr"or"; expensive, costly; valuable, precious
2Old Norsedýranimal
3Proto-Norse*ᛞᛖᚢᛉᚨanimal
4Proto-Germanicdeuząanimal, beast
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewsómliving thing
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰéwsbreath
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰwes-to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature

via Icelandic hryggur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandichryggursad, regretful, sorrowful, woeful; the spine, the...
2Old Norsehryggrbackbone, spine; a ridge; afflicted, grieved, sad
3Proto-Germanichrugjazback; spine; ridge
4Proto-Indo-European(s)krewk-to turn, bend
5Proto-Indo-European(s)ḱer-dung, manure, filth; manure, dung, filth
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes-Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰéwsEvery word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm