Where does “vänster” come from?

vänster (Swedish) comes from Old Norse vinstri, from Proto-Germanic winistraz, from Proto-Germanic winiz, from Proto-Indo-European wenh₁- — to love.

vänster (Swedish): left; left-wing; left; the left side

Definitions

  1. left; left-wing; left; the left side

Ancestry of “vänster”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Norsevinstri—
2Proto-Germanicwinistrazleft
3Proto-Germanicwinizloved one, friend
4Proto-Indo-Europeanwenh₁-to love

Words derived from “vänster”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European wenh₁- →Every word from Proto-Germanic winiz →Every word from Proto-Germanic winistraz →