Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “ribaldly” come from?

ribaldly (English) comes from English ribald, from Middle English ribald, from Old French ribaud, from Old French riber, from Frankish rīban, from Proto-Germanic wrībaną, from Proto-Indo-European werp-, from Proto-Indo-European wer- — to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel.

ribaldly (English): In a ribald manner

Definitions

  1. In a ribald manner

Ancestry of “ribaldly”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishribaldCoarsely, vulgarly, or lewdly amusing; referring...
2Middle Englishribald—
3Old Frenchribaudscoundrel
4Old Frenchriberto be licentious
5Frankishrībanto copulate, be in heat
6Proto-Germanicwrībanąto rub; to wipe
7Proto-Indo-Europeanwerp-to bend
8Proto-Indo-Europeanwer-to burn; to cover, heed, notice; squirrel
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wer- →