Where does “niches” come from?

niches (Middle High German) comes from Old High German nihhus, from Proto-Germanic nikwus, from Proto-Indo-European nigʷ-ō-s, from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- — to wash.

Ancestry of “niches”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germannihhuswater-elf, crocodile; water-spirit
2Proto-Germanicnikwuswater-spirit; nix
3Proto-Indo-Europeannigʷ-ō-s—
4Proto-Indo-Europeanneygʷ-to wash
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European nigʷ-ō-s →Every word from Proto-Germanic nikwus →