Where does “blue” come from?
Blue comes from Middle English blewe, from Proto-Germanic blewwaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰlēw-, ultimately from the root bʰel- meaning to shine or gleam.
blue (English): Having blue as its color; Depressed, melancholic,...
Definitions
- Having blue as its color; Depressed, melancholic,...
Ancestry of “blue”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | blewe | blue, azure; blue-violet; blue-grey; the colour... |
| 2 | Anglo-Norman | blew | blue |
| 3 | Middle French | bleu | blue |
| 4 | Old French | blöe | blue |
| 5 | Latvian | blāvus | accusative plural masculine form of blāvs |
| 6 | Old High German | blāo | blue, dark, grey; blue; yellow |
| 7 | Proto-West Germanic | blāu | blue |
| 8 | Proto-Germanic | blēwaz | blue; a dark bluish or grey colour, black |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰlēw- | yellow, blond, grey |