Where does “zwelf” come from?
zwelf (Middle High German) comes from Old High German zwelif, from Old High German twelif, from Proto-Germanic twalif, from Proto-Germanic -lif, from Proto-Indo-European leyp-, from Proto-Indo-European lēy- — to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave...
Ancestry of “zwelf”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old High German | zwelif | twelve |
| 2 | Old High German | twelif | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | twalif | twelve |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | -lif | left over |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | leyp- | to stick; fat or sticky substance |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | lēy- | to leave, let; to want, desire; to let; leave... |