Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “drivel” come from?

Drivel comes from Middle English drivelen, from Old English dreflian, from Proto-Germanic drablijaną, from Proto-Indo-European dʰerebʰ-.

drivel (English): senseless talk; nonsense; saliva, drool; A fool;...

Definitions

  1. senseless talk; nonsense; saliva, drool; A fool;...

Ancestry of “drivel”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishdrevelen—
2Old Englishdreflianto drivel, slobber, slaver
3Proto-Germanicdrablijaną—
4Proto-Indo-Europeandʰerebʰ-cloudy, turbid; yeast

Words derived from “drivel”

  • drool
  • driveller
  • drooler
  • drooly
  • driveler
  • drule
  • drivelous
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰerebʰ- →