Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “goddamn” come from?

Goddamn combines English God with Middle English God, derived from Old French dampner, from Latin damnare meaning "to condemn," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European gʰedʰ-.

goddamn (English): Damned by God; 2019 July 26, Charles P. Pierce, ...

Definitions

  1. Damned by God; 2019 July 26, Charles P. Pierce, ...

Ancestry of “goddamn”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdamnTo condemn to hell; To condemn; to declare...
2Middle Englishdampnento damn
3Old Frenchdampnerto damn
4Latindamnō—
5Latindamnumdamage or injury; loss; a fine
6Proto-Italicdapnom—
7Proto-Indo-Europeandh₂pnómexpense, investment
8Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂p-to sacrifice; to lose
9Proto-Indo-Europeandeh₂-to share, divide

Words derived from “goddamn”

  • goddam
  • goddammit
  • dadgum
  • dagnabbit
  • gorram
  • goddam
  • ゴッデム
Every word from Proto-Indo-European deh₂- →