Where does “helfantbein” come from?

helfantbein (Old High German) comes from Old High German bein, from Proto-West Germanic bain, from Proto-Germanic bainą, from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyh₂- — to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut.

helfantbein (Old High German): ivory; elephant bone

Definitions

  1. ivory; elephant bone

Ancestry of “helfantbein”, step by step

helfantbein traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old High German bein

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanbeinleg; bone
2Proto-West Germanicbainleg; bone
3Proto-Germanicbainąleg; bone
4Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰeyh₂-to fear, be afraid; to strike, hit; to hew, cut

via Old High German helfant

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old High Germanhelfantelephant; ivory
2Proto-West Germanic*elpandelephant

Words derived from “helfantbein”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰeyh₂- →Every word from Proto-Germanic bainą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic bain →