Where does “nagdýr” come from?

nagdýr (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.

nagdýr (Icelandic): rodent

Definitions

  1. rodent

Ancestry of “nagdýr”, step by step

nagdýr 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 naga

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicnagato gnaw
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰwes- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰéws →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewsóm →