Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “fleam” come from?

fleam (English) comes from Middle English fleme, from Old English flīema, from Old English flīeman, from Old English flēam, from Norwegian Nynorsk flaum, from Middle High German phlūme, from Old High German phlūma, from Latin plūma — to fly, flow, run.

fleam (English): A sharp instrument used to open a vein, to lance...

Definitions

  1. A sharp instrument used to open a vein, to lance...

Ancestry of “fleam”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle EnglishflemeAlternative form of flewme
2Old Englishflīemafugitive, exile, outlaw
3Old Englishflīemanto put to flight, drive away, banish
4Old Englishflēamfleeing; flight; rush; flight
5Norwegian Nynorskflaumflood
6Middle High Germanphlūme—
7Old High Germanphlūma—
8Latinplūma—
9Proto-Italicplouksmā—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanplúnksneh₂feather
11Proto-Indo-Europeanplú-n-k-—
12Proto-Indo-Europeanplewk-to fly, flow, run; to splash, to flap with hands
13Proto-Indo-Europeanplew-to fly, flow, run
Every word from Proto-Indo-European plew- →