Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “dummkopf” come from?

dummkopf (English) comes from German Dummkopf, from German dumm, from Middle High German tump, from Old High German tumb, from Proto-West Germanic dumb, from Proto-Germanic dumbaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

dummkopf (English): A stupid person; a dolt, dimwit or blockhead

Definitions

  1. A stupid person; a dolt, dimwit or blockhead

Ancestry of “dummkopf”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1GermanDummkopfa fool, an idiot, a ninny
2Germandummdumb, stupid
3Middle High Germantump—
4Old High Germantumbdumb; stupid
5Proto-West Germanicdumbdumb, mute
6Proto-Germanicdumbazdumb, mute, unable to speak
7Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
8Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →