Etymology Explorer › Norwegian Bokmål

Where does “nøkkel” come from?

nøkkel (Norwegian Bokmål) comes from Middle Norwegian nykill, from Old Norse lykill, from Old Norse lúka, from Proto-Germanic lūkaną, from Proto-Indo-European lewǵ- — to break, tear; to break, shatter.

nøkkel (Norwegian Bokmål): a key; a spanner or wrench

Definitions

  1. a key; a spanner or wrench

Ancestry of “nøkkel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Norwegiannykillkey
2Old Norselykillkey
3Old Norselúkato shut; to end, bring to an end, finish,...
4Proto-Germaniclūkanąto close, to shut; Alternative form of *leukaną
5Proto-Indo-Europeanlewǵ-to break, tear; to break, shatter

Words derived from “nøkkel”

  • bilnøkkel
  • dørnøkkel
  • morsenøkkel
  • skrunøkkel
  • ringnøkkel
  • nøkkelhull
  • skiftenøkkel
  • nøkkelkort
  • fastnøkkel
  • nøkkelring
Every word from Proto-Indo-European lewǵ- →