Where does “biber” come from?
biber (Middle High German) comes from Old High German bibar, from Proto-West Germanic bebru, from Proto-Germanic bebruz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰébʰrus, from Proto-Indo-European bʰrew-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰer- — to bear, carry.
biber (Middle High German): beaver
Ancestry of “biber”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | bibar | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | bebru | beaver |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | bebruz | beaver |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰébʰrus | beaver |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰrew- | to brew, boil; to boil, seethe; to brew, to... |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
Words derived from “biber”