Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clambake” come from?

clambake (English) comes from English clam, from Middle English clam, from Old English clām, from Proto-West Germanic *klaim, from Proto-Germanic klaimaz, from Proto-Indo-European gleh₁y-, from Proto-Indo-European gleh₁-, from Proto-Indo-European gewl- — to bend, arch.

clambake (English): An informal beach party in which food, usually...

Definitions

  1. An informal beach party in which food, usually...

Ancestry of “clambake”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclamA bivalve mollusk of many kinds, especially those...
2Middle Englishclampincers, vice, clamp; viscous, sticky; slimy
3Old Englishclāmclay, mud; paste, mortar, mud, clay, poultice
4Proto-West Germanic*klaim—
5Proto-Germanicklaimazclay, mortar
6Proto-Indo-Europeangleh₁y-to smear, putty; to stick, glue
7Proto-Indo-Europeangleh₁-ball, lump
8Proto-Indo-Europeangewl-vessel; ball; vessel, bowl, ball; ball, bowl,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeangēw-to bend, arch
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gēw- →