sieben
/ˈziːbn̩/
numeral
Origin
Proto-Indo-European
*septḿ̥ — seven
Overview
Meaning Now
- The cardinal number equivalent to the sum of six and one.
Language path
Proto-Indo-European → Proto-Germanic → Old High German → German
Earliest form
sibun
Earliest period
8th century
Journey
The word for seven is remarkably stable across Indo-European languages, showing a shared ancestry that stretches back several millennia. The shift from the Proto-Indo-European *septḿ̥ to the Germanic *sebun reflects consistent phonological developments in the Germanic branch.
Evolution
- Proto-Indo-European
*septḿ̥
“seven”
- Proto-Germanic
*sebun
“seven”
Grimm's law applies to the consonant shift.
- Old High German
sibun
“seven”
- Middle High German
siben
“seven”
- Modern German
sieben
“seven”
Connections
Word parts
sieben
root
seven
Related across languages
English
seven
Latin
septem
seven
Greek
heptá
seven
Explore next
Related to sieben
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.