Where does “hvalreki” come from?
hvalreki (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic hvalur, from Old Norse hvalr, from Proto-Germanic hwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kʷálos — large fish; sheatfish.
hvalreki (Icelandic): A beached whale
Definitions
- A beached whale
Ancestry of “hvalreki”, step by step
hvalreki traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Icelandic hvalur
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icelandic | hvalur | whale |
| 2 | Old Norse | hvalr | whale |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | hwalaz | whale, sheatfish |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)kʷálos | large fish; sheatfish |
via Icelandic reki
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icelandic | reki | flotsam and jetsam |