Where does “stark” come from?
stark (Swedish) comes from Old Swedish starker, from Old Norse sterkr, from Proto-Germanic starkuz, from Proto-Germanic sterkaną, from Proto-Indo-European sterg- — rigid, stiff; to love.
Ancestry of “stark”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Swedish | starker | stiff, rigid; steady; strong |
| 2 | Old Norse | sterkr | strong |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | starkuz | stiff; rigid; strong |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | sterkaną | to become stiff, stiffen |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | sterg- | rigid, stiff; to love |