Where does “blowhard” come from?

blowhard (English) comes from English blow, from Middle English blowe, from Old English blōwan, from Proto-West Germanic blōan, from Proto-Germanic blōaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰleh₃-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰel-, from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-.

blowhard (English): A person who talks too much or too loudly,...

Definitions

  1. A person who talks too much or too loudly,...

Ancestry of “blowhard”, step by step

blowhard traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English blow

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishblowTo produce an air current; To propel by an air...
2Middle EnglishbloweAlternative form of blowen
3Old Englishblōwanto bloom, blossom
4Proto-West Germanicblōanto bloom, to flower
5Proto-Germanicblōanąto bloom, to flower
6Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰleh₃-bloom, flower
7Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰel-to sound; to speak, roar, bark; shiny, white; to...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰōl-

via English hard

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishhardHaving a severe property; presenting difficulty;...
2Old Frenchhardihardy; tough; durable
3Old Frenchhardirto harden
4Frankishhardijanto harden, to make hard
5Proto-Germanichardijanąto make hard, strong; to harden
6Proto-Germanicharduzhard; brave
7Proto-Indo-Europeankert-times; to weave, twist together; time
8Proto-Turkic*keŕ-to travel, tour
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰōl-