Where does “šlagfertig” come from?
šlagfertig (Serbo-Croatian) comes from German schlagfertig, from Dutch slagvaardig, from Dutch slag, from Middle Dutch slach, from Old Dutch slag, from Proto-West Germanic slagi, from Swedish slagg, from Low German slagge — to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,...
Ancestry of “šlagfertig”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | German | schlagfertig | quick-witted, glib, witty, witted |
| 2 | Dutch | slagvaardig | alert, ready for battle |
| 3 | Dutch | slag | A blow, knock, strike; A stroke, limb movement;... |
| 4 | Middle Dutch | slach | beat |
| 5 | Old Dutch | slag | — |
| 6 | Proto-West Germanic | slagi | blow, strike |
| 7 | Swedish | slagg | — |
| 8 | Low German | slagge | — |
| 9 | Middle Low German | slagge | — |
| 10 | Middle Low German | slān | to hit, strike |
| 11 | Old Saxon | slāhan | — |
| 12 | Proto-West Germanic | slahan | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 13 | Proto-Germanic | slahaną | to hit, to strike; to kill |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | slak- | to hit; strike; to hit, strike, throw; to hit,... |