Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dumbify” come from?

dumbify (English) comes from English dumb, from English damn, from Middle English dampnen, from Old French dampner, from Latin damnō, from Latin damnum, from Proto-Italic dapnom, from Proto-Indo-European dh₂pnóm — to share, divide.

dumbify (English): To make stupid; to dumb down

Definitions

  1. To make stupid; to dumb down

Ancestry of “dumbify”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdumbUnable to speak; lacking power of speech; Silent;...
2EnglishdamnTo condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
3Middle Englishdampnento damn
4Old Frenchdampnerto damn
5Latindamnō—
6Latindamnumdamage or injury; loss; a fine
7Proto-Italicdapnom—
8Proto-Indo-Europeandh₂pnómexpense, investment
9Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂p-to sacrifice; to lose
10Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- →