Where does “smánetla” come from?

smánetla (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic smár, from Old Norse smár, from Proto-Germanic smēhaz, from Proto-Indo-European smēk-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.

smánetla (Icelandic): small nettle (Urtica urens)

Definitions

  1. small nettle (Urtica urens)

Ancestry of “smánetla”, step by step

smánetla traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic smár

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicsmársmall
2Old Norsesmársmall
3Proto-Germanicsmēhazsmall; little
4Proto-Indo-Europeansmēk-beard; chin
5Proto-Indo-Europeansmē-to rub; smear

via Icelandic netla

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicnetlanettle
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smē-Every word from Proto-Indo-European smēk-Every word from Proto-Germanic smēhaz