Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “goddam” come from?

Goddam comes from English goddamn, itself from English God combined with Middle English God and Old French dampner, ultimately derived from Latin damnare meaning to condemn and Latin damnum meaning loss or harm.

goddam (English): An English person, from the perspective of a...

Definitions

  1. An English person, from the perspective of a...

Ancestry of “goddam”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Frenchgoddaman English person
2EnglishgoddamnDamned by God; 2019 July 26, Charles P. Pierce, ...
3EnglishdamnTo condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
4Middle Englishdampnento damn
5Old Frenchdampnerto damn
6Latindamnō—
7Latindamnumdamage or injury; loss; a fine
8Proto-Italicdapnom—
9Proto-Indo-Europeandh₂pnómexpense, investment
10Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂p-to sacrifice; to lose
11Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- →