Where does “ugunsgrēks” come from?

ugunsgrēks (Latvian) comes from Latvian uguns, from Proto-Balto-Slavic ungnis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁n̥gʷnis, from Proto-Indo-European h₁engʷ- — to burn; fire.

ugunsgrēks (Latvian): fire; conflagration

Definitions

  1. fire; conflagration

Ancestry of “ugunsgrēks”, step by step

ugunsgrēks traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Latvian uguns

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latvianugunsfire; fire, light; artificial light, light source
2Proto-Balto-Slavicungnisfire
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁n̥gʷnisfire
4Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁engʷ-to burn; fire

via Latvian grēks

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Latviangrēkssin, transgression, offense
2Old East Slavicгрѣхъ—
3Proto-Slavicgrěxъsin
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁engʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁n̥gʷnis →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic ungnis →