Etymology Explorer › Old High German

Where does “nihhus” come from?

nihhus (Old High German) comes from Proto-Germanic nikwus, from Proto-Indo-European nigʷ-ō-s, from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- — to wash.

nihhus (Old High German): water-elf, crocodile; water-spirit

Definitions

  1. water-elf, crocodile; water-spirit

Ancestry of “nihhus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicnikwuswater-spirit; nix
2Proto-Indo-Europeannigʷ-ō-s—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanneygʷ-to wash

Words derived from “nihhus”

  • nixie
  • Nix
  • Nixe
  • nix
  • nicchessa
  • nixe
  • nickes
  • niches
Every word from Proto-Indo-European neygʷ- →