Where does “Svalbard” come from?
Svalbard (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse Svalbarð, from Old Norse svalr, from Proto-Germanic swalaz, from Proto-Germanic swelaną, from Proto-Indo-European swel- — to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,...
Ancestry of “Svalbard”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | Svalbarð | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | svalr | cool, cold |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | swalaz | cold |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | swelaną | to burn |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | swel- | to smolder; burn; scorch; beam, board, frame,... |
Words derived from “Svalbard”