Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “clubfisted” come from?

clubfisted (English) comes from English club, from Middle English clubbe, from Old Norse klubba, from Proto-Germanic klumpô, from Proto-Indo-European glemb-, from Proto-Indo-European gel- — to be cold, to freeze.

clubfisted (English): Having a large fist

Definitions

  1. Having a large fist

Ancestry of “clubfisted”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishclubAn association of members joining together for...
2Middle EnglishclubbeAn club or baton; A clump or lump; a pile
3Old Norseklubbacudgel
4Proto-Germanicklumpôclasp; clamp; lump; mass; clump
5Proto-Indo-Europeanglemb-log, block
6Proto-Indo-Europeangel-to be cold, to freeze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gel- →