Where does “smæhen” come from?

smæhen (Middle High German) comes from Old High German smāhen, from Proto-Germanic smēhijaną, from Proto-Indo-European smēyg-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.

Ancestry of “smæhen”, step by step

Step	Language	Word	Meaning
1	Old High German	smāhen	—
2	Proto-Germanic	smēhijaną	to belittle, to despise; to reduce; belittle;...
3	Proto-Indo-European	smēyg-	small, delicate, thin; twig, pole; crumb; small,...
4	Proto-Indo-European	smē-	to rub; smear

Words derived from “smæhen”

schmählich
schmähen

Every word from Proto-Indo-European smē- →

smæhen — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer