Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “frumpy” come from?

frumpy (English) comes from Middle English frumple, from Middle Dutch verrompelen.

frumpy (English): Dowdy, unkempt, or unfashionable; Bad-tempered

Definitions

  1. Dowdy, unkempt, or unfashionable; Bad-tempered

Ancestry of “frumpy”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishfrumplewrinkle
2Middle Dutchverrompelen—

Words derived from “frumpy”

  • frumpiness
  • frumpily
  • unfrumpy
Every word from Middle Dutch verrompelen →