Where does “tegn” come from?

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

tegn (Norwegian Bokmål): a sign; a character; imperative of tegne

Definitions

  1. a sign; a character; imperative of tegne

Ancestry of “tegn”, step by step

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

Words derived from “tegn”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European teḱ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic þegnaz →Every word from Old Norse þegn →