Where does “stark som en björn” come from?

stark som en björn (Swedish) comes from Swedish söm, from Swedish -nad, from Old Norse -naðr, from Old Norse -aðr, from Proto-Norse -ᛟᚦᚢᛉ, from Proto-Germanic -ōdaz, from Proto-Indo-European -tós — Creates verbal adjectives from verb stems.

stark som en björn (Swedish): strong as an ox

Definitions

  1. strong as an ox

Ancestry of “stark som en björn”, step by step

stark som en björn traces back through 3 separate lines of ancestry.

via Swedish söm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishsömseam
2Swedish-nadsuffix used to create nouns, particularly from...
3Old Norse-naðrsuffix used to create nouns, particularly from...
4Old Norse-aðrsuffix used to create adjectives meaning “having,...
5Proto-Norse-ᛟᚦᚢᛉ
6Proto-Germanic-ōdazForms adjectives from nouns, indicating the...
7Proto-Indo-European-tósCreates verbal adjectives from verb stems

via Swedish stärk

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishstärkstrong
2Old Swedishstarkerstiff, rigid; steady; strong
3Old Norsesterkrstrong
4Proto-Germanicstarkuzstiff; rigid; strong
5Proto-Germanicsterkanąto become stiff, stiffen
6Proto-Indo-Europeansterg-rigid, stiff; to love

via Swedish en

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishenone; "object form of" man; one; "the indefinite...
2Old Swedishēnone
3Old Norseeinnone; some, a few
4Proto-Germanicainazone; some
5Proto-Indo-Europeanóynosone; single
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -tósEvery word from Swedish -nadEvery word from Swedish söm