Where does “deaf” come from?
Deaf comes from Middle English deef, from Old English dēaf, from Proto-Germanic daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰūbʰ-, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂-.
deaf (English): Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear;...
Definitions
- Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear;...
Ancestry of “deaf”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | deef | deaf |
| 2 | Old English | dēaf | deaf |
| 3 | Proto-West Germanic | daub | stunned; deaf |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | daubaz | stunned; deaf |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewbʰ- | deep |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |
Words derived from “deaf”