Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ham-fisted” come from?

ham-fisted (English) comes from English Ham, from Middle English ham, from Old English hām, from Proto-West Germanic haim, from Proto-Germanic haimaz, from Proto-Indo-European ḱóymos, from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- — to be lying down; to settle.

ham-fisted (English): Lacking skill in physical movement, especially...

Definitions

  1. Lacking skill in physical movement, especially...

Ancestry of “ham-fisted”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishHam—
2Middle EnglishhamAlternative form of hem; Alternative form of hom;...
3Old Englishhāmhome; village, community; village, hamlet, manor,...
4Proto-West Germanichaimhome
5Proto-Germanichaimazhome; house; village
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱóymosof the home, belonging to the family; village,...
7Proto-Indo-Europeanḱey-to be lying down; to settle

Words derived from “ham-fisted”

  • hamfisted
  • hamfistedly
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱey- →