Where does “narwhal” come from?
narwhal (Manx) comes from English narwhal, from Dutch narwal, from Old Norse náhvalr, from Old Norse Nár, from Proto-Germanic nawiz, from Proto-Indo-European neh₂wis, from Proto-Indo-European neh₂u-, from Proto-Indo-European néh₂us — to swim; to float.
narwhal (Manx): narwhal
Definitions
- narwhal
Ancestry of “narwhal”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | narwhal | "Monodon monoceros", an Arctic cetacean that... |
| 2 | Dutch | narwal | narwhal, "Monodon monoceros" |
| 3 | Old Norse | náhvalr | corpse whale |
| 4 | Old Norse | Nár | name of a dwarf |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | nawiz | corpse |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | neh₂wis | corpse |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | neh₂u- | death; death; corpse; ship, boat |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | néh₂us | boat |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)neh₂- | to swim; to float |