Where does “earmuffed” come from?
earmuffed (English) comes from English earmuff, from English muff, from Dutch mof, from Dutch moffel, from Middle French moufle, from Old French mofle, from Medieval Latin muffula, from Frankish molfell — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.
earmuffed (English): Wearing earmuffs
Ancestry of “earmuffed”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | earmuff | A garment to keep the ears warm; A garment or... |
| 2 | English | muff | A piece of fur or cloth, usually with open ends,... |
| 3 | Dutch | mof | muff; Piece to protect pipes where they are... |
| 4 | Dutch | moffel | — |
| 5 | Middle French | moufle | — |
| 6 | Old French | mofle | thick glove |
| 7 | Medieval Latin | muffula | a muff; muff |
| 8 | Frankish | molfell | soft garment made of hide |
| 9 | Middle High German | mol | — |
| 10 | Old High German | mol | — |
| 11 | Proto-Germanic | mulô | — |
| 12 | Proto-Indo-European | molh₂-o- | — |
| 13 | Proto-Indo-European | melh₂- | to grind, to crush |
| 14 | Proto-Indo-European | mel- | soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub |
| 15 | Proto-Indo-European | mey- | to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange |