Where does “svartbjørn” come from?

svartbjørn (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk svart, from Old Norse svartr, from Proto-Germanic swartaz, from Proto-Indo-European swordo- — dirty, dark, black.

svartbjørn (Norwegian Nynorsk): (American) black bear, Ursus americanus

Definitions

  1. (American) black bear, Ursus americanus

Ancestry of “svartbjørn”, step by step

svartbjørn traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Nynorsk svart

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorsksvartblack; illegal; in avoidance of taxes; past...
2Old Norsesvartrblack
3Proto-Germanicswartazblack
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswordo-dirty, dark, black

via Norwegian Nynorsk bjørn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskbjørna bear
2Old NorseBjǫrnbear (animal)
3Proto-Germanicbernuzbear
Every word from Proto-Indo-European swordo- →Every word from Proto-Germanic swartaz →Every word from Old Norse svartr →