Where does “nickes” come from?
nickes (Middle High German) comes from Old High German nichus, from Proto-Germanic nikwus, from Proto-Indo-European nigʷ-ō-s, from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- — to wash.
Ancestry of “nickes”, step by step
nickes traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old High German nichus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | nichus | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | nikwus | water-spirit; nix |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | nigʷ-ō-s | — |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | neygʷ- | to wash |
via Old High German nihhus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | nihhus | water-elf, crocodile; water-spirit |