Etymology Explorer › Middle High German

Where does “wurgen” come from?

wurgen (Middle High German) comes from Old High German wurgan, from Proto-Germanic wurgijaną, from Proto-Germanic wargaz, from Proto-Indo-European werǵʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European wēr-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

Ancestry of “wurgen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanwurgan—
2Proto-Germanicwurgijanąto strangle
3Proto-Germanicwargazoutlaw, criminal; wolf
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwerǵʰ-bind, squeeze; to bind, squeeze; to turn, twist,...
5Proto-Indo-Europeanwēr-true
6Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel

Words derived from “wurgen”

  • Kurzschwanz-Ameisenwürger
  • Rotrückenwürger
  • Raubwürger
  • Würger
  • Ameisenwürger
  • Bambusameisenwürger
  • Kahlkopfwürger
  • Zebraameisenwürger
  • erwürgen
  • würgen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →