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

  1. Unable to hear, or only partially able to hear;...

Ancestry of “deaf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdeefdeaf
2Old Englishdēafdeaf
3Proto-West Germanicdaubstunned; deaf
4Proto-Germanicdaubazstunned; deaf
5Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
6Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “deaf”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ- →Every word from Proto-Germanic daubaz →
deaf — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer