Where does “stehlen” come from?

stehlen (Low German) comes from Middle Dutch stēlen, from Old Dutch stelan, from Proto-Germanic stelaną, from Proto-Indo-European tsel- — to sneak.

stehlen (Low German): to steal; to skulk, to move secretly

Definitions

  1. to steal; to skulk, to move secretly

Ancestry of “stehlen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Dutchstēlento steal
2Old Dutchstelanto steal
3Proto-Germanicstelanąto steal; to sneak
4Proto-Indo-Europeantsel-to sneak
Every word from Proto-Indo-European tsel- →Every word from Proto-Germanic stelaną →Every word from Old Dutch stelan →