Where does “snjókarl” come from?

snjókarl (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic Karl, from Old Norse Karl, from Proto-Norse ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ, from Proto-Germanic karilaz, from Proto-Germanic karaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- — to grow old, to mature.

snjókarl (Icelandic): a snowman

Definitions

  1. a snowman

Ancestry of “snjókarl”, step by step

snjókarl traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Icelandic Karl

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1IcelandicKarlman
2Old NorseKarlman
3Proto-Norseᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ—
4Proto-Germanickarilazfree man, franklin; little man, young man
5Proto-Germanickaraz—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵerh₂-to grow old, to mature

via Icelandic snjór

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Icelandicsnjórsnow
2Old Norsesnærsnow
3Proto-Germanicsnaiwazsnow
4Proto-Indo-Europeansnóygʷʰossnow
5Proto-Indo-Europeansneygʷʰ-to snow
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic karaz →Every word from Proto-Germanic karilaz →