Where does “dull-witted” come from?
dull-witted (English) comes from English dull, from Middle English dull, from Old English dol, from Proto-West Germanic *dol, from Proto-Germanic dulaz, from Proto-Germanic dwalaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰwel-.
dull-witted (English): Having a dull, blunt wit or mind; unintelligent
Definitions
- Having a dull, blunt wit or mind; unintelligent
Ancestry of “dull-witted”, step by step
dull-witted traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English dull
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dull | Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp;... |
| 2 | Middle English | dull | — |
| 3 | Old English | dol | foolish |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *dol | — |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | dulaz | confused, stunned; foolish, misled, mad |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | dwalaz | confused, stunned; foolish, misled, mad |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰwel- | — |