Where does “kwaksalver” come from?
kwaksalver (Middle Dutch) comes from Middle Dutch quacken, from Old Dutch kwaken — to croak, quack.
kwaksalver (Middle Dutch): hawker of salve
Ancestry of “kwaksalver”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle Dutch | quacken | to croak, quack; to brag, boast; to croak |
| 2 | Old Dutch | kwaken | to croak, quack |