Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “grub” come from?

Grub comes from Old English grubbian, from Proto-Germanic grubb-, ultimately from Proto-Germanic grub-, of uncertain origin and meaning.

grub (English): An immature stage in the life cycle of an insect;...

Definitions

  1. An immature stage in the life cycle of an insect;...

Ancestry of “grub”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishgrubbian—
2Proto-Germanicgrubb-—
3Proto-Germanicgrub-to dig

Words derived from “grub”

  • grubby
  • grubber
  • grubstake
  • grubbiness
  • grubworm
  • grublike
  • grubbily
  • moneygrubber
  • grubble
  • canegrub
  • grubhouse
  • undergrub
  • grubling
  • груббер
Every word from Proto-Germanic grub- →