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
- left; left-wing; left; the left side
Ancestry of “vänster”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | vinstri | — |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | winistraz | left |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | winiz | loved one, friend |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | wenh₁- | to love |
Words derived from “vänster”