Where does “головешка” come from?

головешка (Russian) comes from Russian голова́, from Old East Slavic голова, from Proto-Slavic golvà, from Proto-Balto-Slavic galˀwā́ˀ, from Proto-Indo-European gelH- — naked; head.

головешка (Russian): ember, firebrand

Definitions

  1. ember, firebrand

Ancestry of “головешка”, step by step

головешка traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via Russian голова́

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianголова́head; mind, brains; head
2Old East Slavicголова—
3Proto-Slavicgolvàhead
4Proto-Balto-Slavicgalˀwā́ˀhead
5Proto-Indo-EuropeangelH-naked; head

via Russian головня

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Russianголовняbrand; smut
2Proto-Slavicgolvьnafire
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gelH- →Every word from Proto-Balto-Slavic galˀwā́ˀ →Every word from Proto-Slavic golvà →