Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cumber” come from?

Cumber comes from Middle English combren, of uncertain origin and meaning.

cumber (English): To slow down; to hinder; to burden; to encumber

Definitions

  1. To slow down; to hinder; to burden; to encumber

Ancestry of “cumber”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishcombren—
2Old Frenchencombrerto bother; to irritate; to annoy; to burden
3Old Frenchcombrewooden obstacles on a river; dam; hindrance,...
4Medieval Latincombrusbarricade of felled trees; barricade
5Gaulishkomberū—
6Proto-Celtickomberetito bring together
7Proto-Celtickom-with, together
8Proto-Indo-Europeanḱómbeside, near, by, with
9Proto-Indo-EuropeanḱeDeictic particle, here; Post-positional...
10Middle Englishkyt—
11Germankitt—
12Old High Germankuti—
13Proto-West Germanickwidugum, resin
14Proto-Germanickweduzresin
15Proto-Indo-Europeangʷet-resin, gum; to say, speak
16Proto-Indo-Europeangū-to bend; curve; arch; vault; to bow, bend, arch,...

Words derived from “cumber”

  • cumbersome
  • cumbrous
  • cumbered
  • cumberer
  • cumbrously
  • cumbersomeness
  • cumbrousness
  • cumbersomely
  • cumbre
  • uncumbered
  • cumberless
  • cumberground
  • uncumbersome
  • discumber
Every word from Proto-Indo-European gū- →