Etymology Explorer › Swedish

Where does “tomte” come from?

tomte (Swedish) comes from Swedish tomt, from Old Norse toft, from Proto-Germanic tumþiz, from Proto-Indo-European dem- — to build; to arrange, to put together.

tomte (Swedish): A small human-like creature in Nordic folklore...

Definitions

  1. A small human-like creature in Nordic folklore...

Ancestry of “tomte”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Swedishtomta ground lot, a parcel , a garden
2Old Norsetoft—
3Proto-Germanictumþizseemliness, agreement; association, guild,...
4Proto-Indo-Europeandem-to build; to arrange, to put together

Words derived from “tomte”

  • myllytonttu
  • kotitonttu
  • saunatonttu
  • tonttu
  • puutarhatonttu
  • tallitonttu
  • joulutonttu
  • jultomte
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dem- →