Where does “poormouth” come from?
poormouth (English) comes from English mouth, from Middle English mouþ, from Old English mūþ, from Proto-West Germanic *munþ, from Proto-Germanic munþaz, from Proto-Indo-European men- — to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,...
poormouth (English): To claim to be poor
Definitions
- To claim to be poor
Ancestry of “poormouth”, step by step
poormouth traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English mouth
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | mouth | The opening of a creature through which food is... |
| 2 | Middle English | mouþ | Alternative form of mouth |
| 3 | Old English | mūþ | mouth, opening, door, gate |
| 4 | Proto-West Germanic | *munþ | mouth |
| 5 | Proto-Germanic | munþaz | mouth |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | men- | to think, mind; spiritual activity; to stay,... |