Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “blag” come from?

blag (English) comes from French blaguer, from French blague, from Dutch balg, from Middle Dutch balch, from Old Dutch balg, from Proto-West Germanic *balgi, from Proto-Germanic balgiz, from Proto-Indo-European bʰelǵʰ-.

blag (English): To obtain for free, particularly by guile or...

Definitions

  1. To obtain for free, particularly by guile or...

Ancestry of “blag”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchblaguerto joke, to joke about
2Frenchblaguepouch; joke; a penis
3Dutchbalgleather bag; bellows; fake bait for training...
4Middle Dutchbalchbelly; abdomen; leather bag
5Old Dutchbalg—
6Proto-West Germanic*balgi—
7Proto-Germanicbalgizbag
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰelǵʰ-to swell
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
10Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-—

Words derived from “blag”

  • blagger
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl- →