Where does “degen” come from?
degen (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle High German degen, from Old French dague, from Italian daga, from Vulgar Latin daca, from Latin Dacia, from Ancient Greek Δάοι — Dai, a Scythian tribe mentioned by Herodotus.
Ancestry of “degen”, step by step
degen traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle High German degen
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle High German | degen | a warrior, a hero, a knight |
| 2 | Old French | dague | — |
| 3 | Italian | daga | dagger; A stabbing weapon, similar to a sword but... |
| 4 | Vulgar Latin | daca | Dacian knife; Dacian |
| 5 | Latin | Dacia | Denmark; Dacia; greater Romania |
| 6 | Ancient Greek | Δάοι | Dai, a Scythian tribe mentioned by Herodotus |