Where does “Fedder” come from?

Fedder (Pennsylvania German) comes from Middle High German vëdere, from Old High German fedara, from Proto-West Germanic feþru, from Proto-Germanic feþrō, from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥, from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- — to spread out; to fly.

Fedder (Pennsylvania German): feather; pen; spring

Definitions

  1. feather; pen; spring

Ancestry of “Fedder”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanvëderefeather
2Old High Germanfedarafeather
3Proto-West Germanicfeþrufeather
4Proto-Germanicfeþrōfeather
5Proto-Indo-Europeanpéth₂r̥wing; feather
6Proto-Indo-Europeanpeth₂-to spread out; to fly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European peth₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European péth₂r̥ →Every word from Proto-Germanic feþrō →