Where does “toppskarfur” come from?
toppskarfur (Icelandic) comes from Icelandic toppur, from Old Norse toppr, from Proto-Germanic tuppaz, from Proto-Indo-European dumb- — tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,...
toppskarfur (Icelandic): European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)
Definitions
- European shag (Phalacrocorax aristotelis)
Ancestry of “toppskarfur”, step by step
toppskarfur traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Icelandic toppur
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icelandic | toppur | top; peak, summit; climax |
| 2 | Old Norse | toppr | tuft of hair, forelock |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | tuppaz | tuft, plait; top, summit |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dumb- | tail, rod, staff, pole, penis; tail, rod, staff,... |
via Icelandic skarfur
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Icelandic | skarfur | cormorant; rascal, scoundrel; glutton |
| 2 | Old Norse | skarfr | cormorant, shag (bird of the family Phalacrocoracidae) |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | skarf- | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)gʷʰh₂el- | to stumble |