Etymology Explorer › Old High German

Where does “smāhen” come from?

smāhen (Old High German) comes from Proto-Germanic smēhijaną, from Proto-Indo-European smēyg-, from Proto-Indo-European smē- — to rub; smear.

Ancestry of “smāhen”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicsmēhijanąto belittle, to despise; to reduce; belittle;...
2Proto-Indo-Europeansmēyg-small, delicate, thin; twig, pole; crumb; small,...
3Proto-Indo-Europeansmē-to rub; smear

Words derived from “smāhen”

  • schmählich
  • schmähen
  • smæhen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European smē- →