Where does “mudslinger” come from?

mudslinger (English) comes from English slinger, from Middle English slynger, from Middle English slynge, from Middle English slyngen, from Old Norse slyngja, from Proto-Germanic slingwaną, from Proto-Indo-European slenk-, from Proto-Indo-European sel- — to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together.

mudslinger (English): One who casts aspersions or insults; especially a...

Definitions

  1. One who casts aspersions or insults; especially a...

Ancestry of “mudslinger”, step by step

mudslinger traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English slinger

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishslingerSomeone who slings or who uses a sling
2Middle Englishslyngerslinger
3Middle EnglishslyngeA sling; A piece of fabric suspended between...
4Middle EnglishslyngenTo sling, hurl, or toss; To use a weapon to hurl...
5Old Norseslyngja
6Proto-Germanicslingwanąto swing, sling; to wind, twist
7Proto-Indo-Europeanslenk-to turn; wind; twist; to turn, to twist, to wind;...
8Proto-Indo-Europeansel-dwelling; piece of wood; beam, post, balk, board,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanser-to flow; to guard; to bind, to tie together

via English MUD

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMUDAcronym of multi-user dungeon: an interactive...
2DutchmudAn old measure of volume, varying in content over...
3Middle Dutchmudde
4Latinmodiusmodius, a unit of dry measure of about a peck or...
5Latinmodusmeasure
6Proto-Indo-Europeanmēd-to measure
7Proto-Indo-Europeanmed-to measure; to give advice; healing
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ser-Every word from Proto-Indo-European sel-Every word from Proto-Indo-European slenk-