Where does “kjerring” come from?
kjerring (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse kerling, from Old Norse Karl, from Proto-Norse ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ, from Proto-Germanic karilaz, from Proto-Germanic karaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵerh₂- — to grow old, to mature.
kjerring (Norwegian Nynorsk): old woman; wife; girl, lady
Definitions
- old woman; wife; girl, lady
Ancestry of “kjerring”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | kerling | woman, wife; old woman |
| 2 | Old Norse | Karl | — |
| 3 | Proto-Norse | ᚲᚨᚱᛁᛚᚨᛉ | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | karilaz | free man, franklin; little man, young man |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | karaz | — |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵerh₂- | to grow old, to mature |