Where does “dummy” come from?
Dummy derives from English dumb plus the Middle English suffix -y, from Middle French -ie, from Latin -ia, ultimately tracing through Latin -ivus and Proto-Indo-European -kos.
dummy (English): A silent person; a person who does not talk; An...
Definitions
- A silent person; a person who does not talk; An...
Ancestry of “dummy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | dumb | Unable to speak; lacking power of speech; Silent;... |
| 2 | English | damn | To condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare... |
| 3 | Middle English | dampnen | to damn |
| 4 | Old French | dampner | to damn |
| 5 | Latin | damnō | to discredit, find fault, disapprove, reject |
| 6 | Latin | damnum | damage or injury; loss; a fine |
| 7 | Proto-Italic | dapnom | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | dh₂pnóm | expense, investment |
| 9 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂p- | to sacrifice; to lose |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | deh₂- | to share, divide |