Where does “Sauerstoff” come from?

Sauerstoff (Luxembourgish) comes from Luxembourgish sauer, from Middle High German sūr, from Old High German sūr, from Proto-West Germanic sūr, from Proto-Germanic sūraz, from Proto-Indo-European suHrós — sour, salty, bitter.

Sauerstoff (Luxembourgish): oxygen

Definitions

  1. oxygen

Ancestry of “Sauerstoff”, step by step

Sauerstoff traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Luxembourgish sauer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Luxembourgishsauersour
2Middle High Germansūrsour
3Old High Germansūrsour
4Proto-West Germanicsūrsour, acidic
5Proto-Germanicsūrazsour, acidic
6Proto-Indo-EuropeansuHróssour, salty, bitter

via French oxygène

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchoxygèneoxygen; inflection of oxygéner: ##...
2Ancient Greekγένοςoffspring, descendant; family, clan; nation, race
3Proto-Hellenicgénosfamily; race
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵénh₁osrace, lineage
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵenh₁-to produce, to beget, to give birth

via Luxembourgish Stoff

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1LuxembourgishStoffAlternative form of Stoft; substance, matter
Every word from Proto-Indo-European suHrósEvery word from Proto-Germanic sūrazEvery word from Proto-West Germanic sūr
Sauerstoff — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer