Where does “gloomy goose” come from?
gloomy goose (English) comes from English gloomy, from English gloom, from Middle English gloom, from Old English glōm, from Proto-West Germanic glōm, from Proto-Germanic glōmaz, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰley-, from Proto-Indo-European ǵʰel- — to shine, glimmer, glow; to shimmer, gleam;...
gloomy goose (English): A gloomy or depressing person; a downer; a gloomy Gus
Definitions
- A gloomy or depressing person; a downer; a gloomy Gus
Ancestry of “gloomy goose”, step by step
gloomy goose traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English gloomy
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | gloomy | Not very illuminated; dim because of darkness,... |
| 2 | English | gloom | Darkness, dimness, or obscurity; A depressing,... |
| 3 | Middle English | gloom | — |
| 4 | Old English | glōm | gloaming, twilight; darkness; gloom, gloaming;... |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | glōm | — |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | glōmaz | gleam, shimmer, sheen |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰley- | to shine |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ǵʰel- | to shine, glimmer, glow; to shimmer, gleam;... |