Where does “blindness” come from?
Blindness comes from Middle English blyndnes, from Old English blindnes, composed of Old English blind and the suffix -nes, ultimately from Proto-Germanic blindaz meaning unable to see.
blindness (English): The condition of being blind; unable to see; Want...
Definitions
- The condition of being blind; unable to see; Want...
Ancestry of “blindness”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | blyndnes | — |
| 2 | Old English | blindnes | blindness, inability to see because of darkness;... |
| 3 | Old English | blind | blind; a blind person |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | blind | blind |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | blindaz | blind |
| 6 | French | blindage | armour, armour plating |
| 7 | French | blinder | to armor; to reinforce |
| 8 | French | blinde | pieces of wood used as cover or protection;... |
| 9 | German | blende | inflection of blenden: ## first-person singular... |
| 10 | German | blenden | to dazzle; to blind; to show off; to pose; to... |
| 11 | Middle High German | blenden | to blend, mix |
| 12 | Old High German | blenten | — |
| 13 | Proto-Germanic | blandijaną | to blind |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰlendʰ- | to blend, to mix up; to make cloudy, opaque;... |