Where does “kjennetegn” come from?

kjennetegn (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Norwegian Bokmål tegn, from Danish tegn, from Old Danish thæghæn, from Old Norse þegn, from Proto-Germanic þegnaz, from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- — to sire, beget.

kjennetegn (Norwegian Bokmål): a distinguishing mark, feature or sign;...

Definitions

  1. a distinguishing mark, feature or sign;...

Ancestry of “kjennetegn”, step by step

kjennetegn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Bokmål tegn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmåltegna sign; a character; imperative of tegne
2Danishtegnsign; token; character
3Old Danishthæghæn—
4Old Norseþegnthane, franklin, freeman, man; a good man;...
5Proto-Germanicþegnazretainer, servant
6Proto-Indo-Europeanteḱ-to sire, beget

via Norwegian Bokmål kjenne

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Bokmålkjenneto know; to feel, sense; to feel
2Old Norsekennato know; to feel
3Proto-Germanickannijanąto make known
4Proto-Indo-Europeanǵn̥néh₃tito know, recognize
5Proto-Indo-Europeanǵneh₃-to know
Every word from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þegnaz →Every word from Old Norse þegn →