Where does “bloody” come from?
Bloody comes from Middle English blody, from Old English blōdiġ, from Proto-Germanic blōþagaz, formed with the Proto-Germanic suffix -gaz (from Proto-Indo-European -kos) and Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, meaning to swell or gush.
bloody (English): Covered in blood; Characterised by bloodshed;...
Definitions
- Covered in blood; Characterised by bloodshed;...
Ancestry of “bloody”, step by step
bloody traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via Middle English blody
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | blody | — |
| 2 | Old English | blōdiġ | bloody |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | blōþagaz | bloody |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | blōþą | blood |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰleh₃- | bloom, flower |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰel- | to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to... |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰōl- | — |
via English Bloody Mary
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | Bloody Mary | Alternative spelling of bloody mary |
| 2 | English | bloody mary | A cocktail made from vodka, tomato juice, and... |