Where does “grimy” come from?
Grimy derives from Middle English grime plus the suffix -y, from Middle French -ie, from Latin -ia, ultimately tracing through Latin -ivus and Proto-Indo-European -kos.
grimy (English): Stained or covered with grime; From the urban...
Definitions
- Stained or covered with grime; From the urban...
Ancestry of “grimy”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | grime | Dirt, grease, soot, etc. that is ingrained and... |
| 2 | Old Norse | Grímr | especially one of Óðinn's names |
| 3 | Icelandic | gríma | mask; to mask |
| 4 | Frankish | grīmō | mask |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | grīmô | mask; visor; helmet |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |