Where does “Svartehavet” come from?
Svartehavet (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk hav, from Old Norse haf, from Proto-Germanic habą, from Proto-Indo-European kap- — to seize, hold.
Ancestry of “Svartehavet”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Norwegian Nynorsk | hav | ocean or sea |
| 2 | Old Norse | haf | sea, ocean |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | habą | sea |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | kap- | to seize, hold |