Where does “mjukvara” come from?

mjukvara (Swedish) comes from Swedish vara, from Old Swedish vara, from Old Norse vara, from Middle Low German ware, from Old Saxon wār, from Proto-West Germanic wār, from Proto-Germanic wēraz, from Proto-Indo-European wiHrós — to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute.

mjukvara (Swedish): software

Definitions

  1. software

Ancestry of “mjukvara”, step by step

mjukvara traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish vara

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1SwedishvaraTo be; existence, being; to last
2Old SwedishvaraTo be
3Old Norsevarato ware, watch out, defend
4Middle Low Germanware
5Old Saxonwārtrue
6Proto-West Germanicwārtrue, reliable
7Proto-Germanicwēraztrue; reliable; friendly; kind
8Proto-Indo-EuropeanwiHrósman; husband; warrior, hero
9Proto-Indo-Europeanweyh₁-to chase, pursue; to suppress, persecute

via English software

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishsoftwareEncoded computer instructions, usually...
2English-wareUsed to form nouns denoting, collectively, items...
3Middle EnglishwareAlternative form of veir; Alternative form of...
4Old Norsevárspring
5Old Norsevástoil, fatigue, from bad weather
6Proto-Norseᚹᚨᛋwas
7Proto-Germanicwasfirst/third-person singular past active...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂wes-to dwell, live, reside; to stay, spend the night

via Swedish mjuk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishmjuksoft
2Old Swedishmiūkersoft
3Old Norsemjúkrsoft; meek
4Proto-Germanicmeukaz
5Proto-Indo-Europeanmewg-slimy, slippery; slick, slimy
Every word from Proto-Indo-European weyh₁-