Where does “numbskulled” come from?
numbskulled (English) comes from English numb, from English nim, from Middle English nimen, from Old English niman, from Proto-West Germanic neman, from Proto-Germanic nemaną, from Proto-Indo-European nem- — to distribute; to give, to take.
numbskulled (English): stupid
Definitions
- stupid
Ancestry of “numbskulled”, step by step
numbskulled traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English numb
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | numb | Physically unable to feel, not having the power... |
| 2 | English | nim | To take or seize; To filch, steal; To walk with... |
| 3 | Middle English | nimen | to take |
| 4 | Old English | niman | to take, seize |
| 5 | Proto-West Germanic | neman | to take |
| 6 | Proto-Germanic | nemaną | to take |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | nem- | to distribute; to give, to take |
via English skulled
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | skulled | simple past tense and past participle of skull;... |