Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “grüezen” come from?

grüezen (Middle High German) comes from Old High German gruozzen, from Proto-West Germanic grōtijan, from Proto-Germanic grōtijaną, from Proto-Germanic grētaną, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēw-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- — to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines.

Ancestry of “grüezen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germangruozzen—
2Proto-West Germanicgrōtijanto address, to greet
3Proto-Germanicgrōtijanąto cause to weep; make cry; to scold; to address
4Proto-Germanicgrētanąto weep, to cry
5Proto-Indo-Europeangʰrēw-to grind, rub
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵʰer-to yearn for; to enclose; bowels, intestines

Words derived from “grüezen”

  • grüßen
  • begréissen
  • gréissen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰer- →