Where does “bokstav” come from?

bokstav (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse bókstafr, from Proto-Germanic bōkastabaz, from Proto-Germanic stabaz, from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ- — to stand still; to harden.

bokstav (Norwegian Nynorsk): letter

Definitions

  1. letter

Ancestry of “bokstav”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsebókstafra letter of the alphabet
2Proto-Germanicbōkastabaza staff made of beechwood; letter of the alphabet
3Proto-Germanicstabazstaff, stick
4Proto-Indo-Europeanstebʰ-to stand still; to harden

Words derived from “bokstav

Every word from Proto-Indo-European stebʰ-Every word from Proto-Germanic stabazEvery word from Proto-Germanic bōkastabaz