Where does “län” come from?

län (Volapük) comes from German land, from Middle High German lant, from Old High German lant, from Proto-West Germanic land, from Proto-Germanic landą, from Proto-Indo-European lendʰ- — land, heath; loins.

län (Volapük): country

Definitions

  1. country

Ancestry of “län”, step by step

län traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via German land

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Germanlandcountry territory of a nation
2Middle High Germanlantland; country
3Old High Germanlantland; country
4Proto-West Germaniclandland, area of ground
5Proto-Germaniclandąland, area of ground
6Proto-Indo-Europeanlendʰ-land, heath; loins

via English Land

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishLandThe part of Earth which is not covered by oceans or other bodies of water
2Middle EnglishlandAlternative form of lond; urine
3Old Englishhlandurine
4Proto-Germanichlandąurine
5Proto-Indo-Europeanklān-liquid, wet ground

Words derived from “län”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European lendʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic landą →Every word from Proto-West Germanic land →