schlendern (German)
Where does "schlendern" come from?
The German verb 'schlendern', meaning 'to stroll'[1], traces back through Middle High German 'lenderen' and Old High German 'landteri'[1]. These earlier forms descend from the Proto-Germanic root '*land-'[1]. Ultimately, this lineage connects to the root of the German word 'schlingen', which means 'to wind, twist, coil'[1].
Open questions
- The ultimate connection between the root of 'schlingen' and the earlier Germanic forms is a proposed etymological link. [1]
Full etymology tree
- schlendern (German), 'to stroll'
- inherited lenderen (Middle High German)
- inherited landteri (Old High German)
- derived *land- (Proto-Germanic)
- derived schlingen (German), 'to wind'
- derived *land- (Proto-Germanic)
- inherited landteri (Old High German)
- inherited lenderen (Middle High German)
Cognates and doublets
- slenteren (Dutch)
Sources
Updated September 2026
Etymology data from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · About Miraris