Where does “klutz” come from?
klutz (English) comes from Yiddish קלאָץ, from Middle High German kloz, from Old High German kloz, from Proto-West Germanic klott, from Proto-Indo-European gel- — to be cold, to freeze.
klutz (English): A clumsy or stupid person
Definitions
- A clumsy or stupid person
Ancestry of “klutz”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Yiddish | קלאָץ | wooden beam |
| 2 | Middle High German | kloz | stump; ball |
| 3 | Old High German | kloz | stump; ball |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | klott | clod, lump, ball |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gel- | to be cold, to freeze |
Words derived from “klutz”