Where does “grime” come from?
Grim comes from Middle English grim, Old English grīma, Proto-Germanic grimmaz, and Proto-Indo-European gʰrem-, ultimately from the root gʰer- meaning to grate or scrape.
grime (English): Dirt, grease, soot, etc. that is ingrained and...
Definitions
- Dirt, grease, soot, etc. that is ingrained and...
Ancestry of “grime”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old Norse | Grímr | — |
| 2 | Icelandic | gríma | mask; to mask |
| 3 | Frankish | grīmō | mask |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | grīmô | mask; visor; helmet |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |
Words derived from “grime”