Where does “schertzen” come from?

schertzen (Middle Dutch) comes from German schërzen, from Middle High German schërzen, from Old High German skërzan, from Proto-Germanic skertaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerǝd- — to dance, jump.

Ancestry of “schertzen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanschërzento joke; to jest; to frolic
2Middle High Germanschërzento cut off
3Old High Germanskërzanto jump merrily, enjoy oneself, jest
4Proto-Germanicskertanąto cut off; to leap, jump, spring; to jest, joke
5Proto-Indo-European(s)kerǝd-to dance, jump

Words derived from “schertzen”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)kerǝd- →Every word from Proto-Germanic skertaną →Every word from Old High German skërzan →