Etymology Explorer › Norwegian Nynorsk

Where does “syster” come from?

syster (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Old Norse systir, from Proto-Norse ᛊᚹᛖᛊᛏᚨᚱ, from Proto-Germanic swestēr, from Proto-Indo-European swésōr, from Proto-Indo-European su-h₁ésh₂-ōr, from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésh₂r̥ — blood.

syster (Norwegian Nynorsk): sister; a female nurse

Definitions

  1. sister; a female nurse

Ancestry of “syster”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsesystirsister
2Proto-Norseᛊᚹᛖᛊᛏᚨᚱsister
3Proto-Germanicswestērsister
4Proto-Indo-Europeanswésōrsister
5Proto-Indo-Europeansu-h₁ésh₂-ōr—
6Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁ésh₂r̥blood

Words derived from “syster”

  • systerskip
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁ésh₂r̥ →