Where does “van” come from?

van (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Dutch van, from Middle Dutch van, from Old Dutch fān, from Old Saxon fāhan, from Proto-Germanic fanhaną, from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ḱ- — to join, to attach; agreement, settlement.

van (Norwegian Nynorsk): being used to (doing) something

Definitions

  1. being used to (doing) something

Ancestry of “van”, step by step

van traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Dutch van

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchvanof; by, of; from
2Middle Dutchvanof; from; out of
3Old Dutchfānoff, from
4Old Saxonfāhanto seize
5Proto-Germanicfanhanąto take, to seize; to capture, to catch
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeh₂ḱ-to join, to attach; agreement, settlement

via Old Norse vanr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsevanrlacking, wanting; a member of the Vanir
2Proto-Germanicwanazlacking, deficient, absent; accustomed
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁weh₂-to leave, abandon, give out
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peh₂ḱ- →