Where does “sterke” come from?

sterke (Middle English) comes from Old English stīrc, from Proto-Germanic stiurikaz, from Proto-Germanic steuraz, from Proto-Indo-European táwros — wild bull, aurochs.

Ancestry of “sterke”, step by step

sterke traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Old English stīrc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstīrcstirk
2Proto-Germanicstiurikazbullock
3Proto-Germanicsteurazbull
4Proto-Indo-Europeantáwroswild bull, aurochs

via Old English stȳrc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstȳrc—

via Old English stīorc

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishstīorccalf, a stirk, a young bullock or a heifer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European táwros →Every word from Proto-Germanic steuraz →Every word from Proto-Germanic stiurikaz →