Etymograph

English

streusel

Streusel comes from German streuen ‘to strew, to scatter, to sprinkle’, and goes back to Proto-Indo-European *strew-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strew-1‘to spread, strew’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strow-éye-ti1reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*strawjaną2‘to strew’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*strauwjan3‘to strew, to spread out’reconstructed
  5. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350ströuwen3
  6. Germanc. 1650–presentstreuen4‘to strew, to scatter, to sprinkle’
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentStreusel5
  8. Englishtodaystreusel5

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic *strawjaną
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Proto-West Germanic *strauwjan
  3. 3 Wiktionary, German streuen
  4. 4 Wiktionary, German Streusel
  5. 5 Wiktionary, English streusel

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strew-Wiktionary, Proto-Germanic *strawjaną‘to spread, strew’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*strow-éye-tiWiktionary, Proto-Germanic *strawjanąreconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*strawjanąWiktionary, Proto-West Germanic *strauwjan‘to strew’reconstructed
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*strauwjanWiktionary, German streuen‘to strew, to spread out’reconstructed
  5. Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350ströuwenWiktionary, German streuen
  6. Germanc. 1650–presentstreuenWiktionary, German Streusel‘to strew, to scatter, to sprinkle’
  7. Germanc. 1650–presentStreuselWiktionary, English streusel
  8. EnglishtodaystreuselWiktionary, English streusel

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *strew- ‘to spread, strew’

construction, structure, destroy, destruction, instrument, strain, instructor, construct, destructive, straw, obstruction, instruct, obstruct, construe, perestroika, stripling, 11 more

through Proto-West Germanic *strauwjan ‘to strew, to spread out’

stray, 2 more

Today it means

noun A crumbly topping for cakes and quick breads. It is made of sugar, flour, butter, and often other ingredients, especially cinnamon and chopped nuts.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “streusel”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Proto-Germanic *strawjaną, Proto-West Germanic *strauwjan, German streuen, German Streusel. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *strew- / streusel

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