Where does “oakum” come from?

Oakum comes from Middle English okome, from Old English ācumba and ācemban, from Proto-Germanic kambijaną, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots ǵómbʰos and ǵómbʰ-.

oakum (English): A material, consisting of tarred fibres, used to...

Definitions

  1. A material, consisting of tarred fibres, used to...

Ancestry of “oakum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishokomeoakum, hards, tow
2Old Englishācumbaoakum
3Old Englishācembanto comb out
4Proto-Germanickambijanąto comb; kemb
5Proto-Germanickambazcomb
6Proto-Indo-Europeanǵómbʰostooth; row of teeth; peg
7Proto-Indo-Europeanǵómbʰ-to pierce, gnaw through; tooth, horn, peg
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵómbʰ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European ǵómbʰos →Every word from Proto-Germanic kambaz →