Where does “niwer” come from?
niwer (Middle High German) comes from Old High German ni, from Proto-Germanic nē, from Proto-Germanic aiwaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₂eyu-, from Proto-Indo-European h₂ey- — vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning.
Ancestry of “niwer”, step by step
niwer traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Old High German ni
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | ni | not |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | nē | not |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | aiwaz | long time, age, eternity |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂eyu- | vitality; eternal; vital force, life, long life,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | h₂ey- | vital force, life, age, eternity; day, morning |
via Old High German niwāri
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | niwāri | — |