Where does “hvítabjörn” come from?

hvítabjörn (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic hvítur, from Old Norse hvítr, from Proto-Germanic hwītaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱweytos — bright; shine; shine; bright.

hvítabjörn (Icelandic): polar bear

Definitions

  1. polar bear

Ancestry of “hvítabjörn”, step by step

hvítabjörn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic hvítur

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandichvíturwhite
2Old Norsehvítrwhite
3Proto-Germanichwītazwhite
4Proto-Indo-Europeanḱweytosbright; shine; shine; bright

via Icelandic Björn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1IcelandicBjörnbear mammal
2Old NorseBjǫrnbear (animal)
3Proto-Germanicbernuzbear
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱweytos →Every word from Proto-Germanic hwītaz →Every word from Old Norse hvítr →