Etymology Explorer › Old Norse

Where does “Miðgarðr” come from?

Miðgarðr (Old Norse) comes from Proto-Germanic midjagardaz, from Proto-Germanic midjaz, from Proto-Indo-European médʰyos, from Proto-Indo-European medʰi-, from Proto-Indo-European me — in the middle of, near, by, around, with.

Ancestry of “Miðgarðr”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicmidjagardazmiddle-earth; middle enclosure
2Proto-Germanicmidjazmiddle, mid
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmédʰyosmiddle
4Proto-Indo-Europeanmedʰi-with, among; with, along
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmein the middle of, near, by, around, with

Words derived from “Miðgarðr”

  • Midgard
  • Midgardian
  • Midgard
Every word from Proto-Indo-European me →