Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “grasping” come from?

Grasping comes from Middle English graspen, Old English grǣpsan, and Proto-Germanic graipisōną, a verb of uncertain ultimate origin meaning to seize or grip.

grasping (English): Greedy, eager for wealth; Present participle and...

Definitions

  1. Greedy, eager for wealth; Present participle and...

Ancestry of “grasping”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishgraspTo grip; to take hold, particularly with the...
2Middle Englishgraspen—
3Old English*grǣpsian—

Words derived from “grasping”

  • graspingly
  • graspingness
Every word from Old English *grǣpsian →