Where does “dapper” come from?

Dapper comes from Middle English daper, from Middle Dutch dapper, from Old Dutch dappar, from Proto-Germanic dapraz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰob-.

dapper (English): Neat, trim; Stylishly dressed, neatly dressed,...

Definitions

  1. Neat, trim; Stylishly dressed, neatly dressed,...

Ancestry of “dapper”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdaperpretty, neat
2Middle Dutchdapperstalwart, nimble
3Old Dutchdappar—
4Proto-Germanicdaprazstout; solid; heavy; bold
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰeb-thick, fat, heavy; fat, heavy, thick

Words derived from “dapper”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰeb- →Every word from Proto-Germanic dapraz →Every word from Old Dutch dappar →