Where does “tomtegubbe” come from?
tomtegubbe (Swedish) comes from Swedish tomte, from Swedish tomt, from Old Norse toft, from Proto-Germanic tumþiz, from Proto-Indo-European dem- — to build; to arrange, to put together.
tomtegubbe (Swedish): an (older) male tomte (type of brownie or gnome from Nordic folklore), in modern times usually associated with Christmas
Definitions
- an (older) male tomte (type of brownie or gnome from Nordic folklore), in modern times usually associated with Christmas
Ancestry of “tomtegubbe”, step by step
tomtegubbe traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Swedish tomte
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | tomte | A small human-like creature in Nordic folklore... |
| 2 | Swedish | tomt | a ground lot, a parcel (of land), that has had, currently has or in the future will have a house built on it. It especially refers either to the land that directly surrounds the house (not uncommonly fenced), even if the total estate might be much bigger, or a legally delineated lot in town-like env |
| 3 | Old Norse | toft | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | tumþiz | seemliness, agreement; association, guild,... |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dem- | to build; to arrange, to put together |
via Swedish gubbe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swedish | gubbe | an old or elderly man; one's husband; little lump |