Etymology

zeitgeber

Z10E1I1T1G2E1B3E1R1

Today it means: A rhythmically occurring cue given by the environment, such as a change in light or temperature, to reset the internal body clock. Full definition →

First used 20th c.German Zeitgeber ← Middle High German gëben ← Old High German gëban
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The story

  1. Proto-Indo-European*deh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*deh₂y-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*déh₂itis
  4. Proto-Indo-European*dih₂tís
  5. Proto-Germanic*tīdiz
  6. Proto-West Germanic*tīdi
  7. Old High Germanzīt
  8. Middle High Germanzīt
  9. GermanZeit
  10. Proto-Indo-European*gʰebʰ-
  11. Proto-Germanic*gebaną
  12. Proto-West Germanic*geban
  13. Old High Germangëban
  14. Middle High Germangëben
  15. Germangeben
  16. GermanGeber
  17. GermanZeitgeber
  18. English todayzeitgeber

Borrowed from German Zeitgeber.

First known use, by meaning

  • from 20th c. A rhythmically occurring cue given by the environment, such as a change in light or temperature, to reset the internal body clock.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.