Where does “clown” come from?

Clown comes from English clowne, a word of uncertain origin and meaning.

clown (English): A slapstick performance artist often associated...

Definitions

  1. A slapstick performance artist often associated...

Ancestry of “clown”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclowneOS grid ref SK4975
2Old Welsh*Colün
3Old Englishīeġisland
4Proto-West Germanicauwjufloodplain; meadow; island
5Proto-Germanicawjōfloodplain; meadow; island
6Proto-Germanicagwjō
7Proto-Indo-Europeanh₂ékʷeh₂water

Words derived from “clown

Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₂ékʷeh₂