Where does “spendýr” come from?
spendýr (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.
spendýr (Icelandic): mammal
Definitions
- mammal
Ancestry of “spendýr”, step by step
spendýr traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Icelandic dýr
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icelandic | dýr | "or"; expensive, costly; valuable, precious |
| 2 | Old Norse | dýr | animal |
| 3 | Proto-Norse | *ᛞᛖᚢᛉᚨ | animal |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | deuzą | animal, beast |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewsóm | living thing |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰéws | breath |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰwes- | to breathe; breath; spirit, soul > creature |