Where does “jafnbreiðr” come from?

jafnbreiðr (Old Norse) comes from Old Norse jafn, from Proto-Germanic ebnaz, from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos — equal, straight; flat, level, even.

jafnbreiðr (Old Norse): equally broad

Definitions

  1. equally broad

Ancestry of “jafnbreiðr”, step by step

jafnbreiðr traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Old Norse jafn

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsejafneven; equal, the same
2Proto-Germanicebnazeven, level
3Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁émnosequal, straight; flat, level, even

via Old Norse breiðr

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsebreiðrbroad
2Proto-Germanicbraidazbroad, wide
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁émnos →Every word from Proto-Germanic ebnaz →Every word from Old Norse jafn →