Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “gibbering” come from?

Gibbering derives from English gibber, itself from English gib, which comes from Old French -er and Latin -are, ultimately traced to Proto-Indo-European bʰer-.

gibbering (English): present participle of gibber; Prone to...

Definitions

  1. present participle of gibber; Prone to...

Ancestry of “gibbering”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgibberGibberish, unintelligible speech; To jabber, talk...
2EnglishGIB—
3EnglishgiveTo move, shift, provide something abstract or...
4EnglishforegiveTo give ahead of time; give in advance
5Englishfore-Positioned at or near the front; Before; ahead or...
6EnglishForeA people of Papua New Guinea
7GermanFahr—
8GermanFähreferry
9Middle High Germanverren—
10Old High Germanferranafrom afar
11Old High Germanferroafar; skipper
12Proto-West Germanic*ferrō—
13Proto-Germanicferraifar, distant
14Proto-Indo-Europeanper-nóy—
15Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
16Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed

Words derived from “gibbering”

  • gibberingly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →