Where does “barmcake” come from?

barmcake (English) comes from English barm, from Middle English barm, from Old English bearm, from Proto-West Germanic *barm, from Proto-Germanic barmaz, from Indo-European *bʰer-.

barmcake (English): A barm; A foolish person

Definitions

  1. A barm; A foolish person

Ancestry of “barmcake”, step by step

barmcake traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English barm

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishbarmBosom, lap; Foam rising upon beer, or other malt...
2Middle EnglishbarmThe lap; chest, torso, abdomen; belly, stomach
3Old Englishbearmbosom, lap; possession
4Proto-West Germanic*barmlap
5Proto-Germanicbarmazlap; bosom
6Indo-European*bʰer-—

via English cake

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishcakeA rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of...
2Middle Englishcakecake; A cake prepared to cure disease or illness;...
3Old Norsekakacake
4Proto-Germanickakǭcake
5Proto-Indo-Europeangōg-round, ball-shaped object; lump; clump
Every word from Indo-European *bʰer- →Every word from Proto-Germanic barmaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *barm →