Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “blindfold” come from?

Blindfold comes from Middle English blynfold, derived from Middle English blyndfelled, with the original sense of striking blind or depriving of sight.

blindfold (English): A covering, usually a bandage, for the eyes,...

Definitions

  1. A covering, usually a bandage, for the eyes,...

Ancestry of “blindfold”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishblyndefolde—
2Middle Englishblindfellento strike blind
3Middle Englishfellento fell
4Old EnglishfellanAlternative form of fiellan
5Proto-West Germanic*fallijan—
6Proto-Germanicfallijanąto cause to fall, to fell
7Proto-Germanicfallanąto fall
8Proto-Indo-Europeanpōl-—
9Slovincianpól—
10Proto-Slavicpolъside, flank; half; member of a pair of options →...
11Proto-Indo-European(s)pelH-to split off, separate; to chop, to separate

Words derived from “blindfold”

  • unblindfold
  • blindfolder
  • blindfoldee
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)pelH- →