Where does “headslapper” come from?

headslapper (English) comes from English head, from English -y, from Middle English -y, from Old English -iġ, from Proto-West Germanic -g, from Proto-Germanic -gaz, from Proto-Indo-European -ḱos — -y, -ic.

headslapper (English): A mistake of obvious stupidity

Definitions

  1. A mistake of obvious stupidity

Ancestry of “headslapper”, step by step

headslapper traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English head

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishheadThe part of the body of an animal or human which...
2English-yAdded to nouns and adjectives to form adjectives...
3Middle English-yDesignates an adjective, in many cases formed by...
4Old English-iġ-y, -ic
5Proto-West Germanic-gForms adjectives from nouns and verbs with a...
6Proto-Germanic-gaz-y
7Proto-Indo-European-ḱos-y, -ic

via English slapper

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishslapperOne who, or that which, slaps; A prostitute; A...
2EnglishslapA blow, especially one given with the open hand,...
3Middle Englishslappen
Every word from Proto-Indo-European -ḱosEvery word from English -yEvery word from Old English -iġ
headslapper — Etymology, Origin & Word History | Etymology Explorer