Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “emboss” come from?

emboss (English) comes from Middle English embossen, from Old French embocer, from Old French boce, from Vulgar Latin bottia, from Frankish bottija, from Frankish bōtan, from Proto-Germanic bautaną, from Proto-Indo-European bʰewd- — to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

emboss (English): To mark or decorate with a raised design or...

Definitions

  1. To mark or decorate with a raised design or...

Ancestry of “emboss”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishembossen—
2Old Frenchembocer—
3Old Frenchboceswelling
4Vulgar Latinbottiabump
5Frankishbottija—
6Frankishbōtanto strike, knock down
7Proto-Germanicbautanąto beat, push
8Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰewd-to hit, strike; to beat, push; to strike, push,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanbʰew-to grow, swell; to swell, wax, grow; to blow; to...

Words derived from “emboss”

  • embossment
  • embosser
  • embost
  • embossable
Every word from Proto-Indo-European bʰew- →