Where does “videospel” come from?

videospel (Norwegian Nynorsk) comes from Norwegian Nynorsk video, from English video, from Latin videō, from Proto-Italic widēō, from Proto-Indo-European weyd- — to see.

videospel (Norwegian Nynorsk): a video game

Definitions

  1. a video game

Ancestry of “videospel”, step by step

videospel traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Norwegian Nynorsk video

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskvideoa video
2EnglishvideoTelevision, television show, movie; A short film...
3Latinvideōto see, perceive; look (at)
4Proto-Italicwidēōsee
5Proto-Indo-Europeanweyd-to see

via Norwegian Nynorsk spel

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Norwegian Nynorskspela game; play, playing
2Norwegian Nynorskspelato play; definite plural of spel
3Middle Low Germanspilnoun
4Old Saxonspil—
5Proto-West Germanicspildance; game, exercise
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyd- →Every word from Proto-Italic widēō →Every word from Latin videō →