Where does “streben” come from?
streben (Middle High German) comes from Old High German strëbēn, from Proto-West Germanic *stribēn, from Proto-Germanic stribāną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter(h₁)- — to be stiff; be rigid; exert.
Ancestry of “streben”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old High German | strëbēn | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *stribēn | to strive |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | stribāną | to strive; exert oneself |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)ter(h₁)- | to be stiff; be rigid; exert |