Where does “*hnītan” come from?
*hnītan (Proto-West Germanic) comes from Proto-Germanic hnītaną, from Proto-Indo-European kneyd-, from Proto-Indo-European ken- — to arise, begin.
Ancestry of “*hnītan”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-Germanic | hnītaną | To push; knock; butt against |
| 2 | Proto-Indo-European | kneyd- | — |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | ken- | to arise, begin |