Where does “simpleton” come from?
Simpleton comes from Middle English simpleton, from French simpleton, from Latin simplus, derived from Latin plico meaning "to fold," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European sem- meaning "one" or "together."
simpleton (English): A simple-minded person lacking common sense
Definitions
- A simple-minded person lacking common sense
Ancestry of “simpleton”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | simple | Uncomplicated; taken by itself, with nothing... |
| 2 | Middle English | symple | virtuous, godly, without sin; simple, spartan,... |
| 3 | Old French | simple | innocent; mere; simple; honest; without pretense |
| 4 | Latin | simplex | single; simple, plain, uncompounded; pure,... |
| 5 | Latin | -plex | -fold |
| 6 | Latin | plicō | to fold, bend or flex; to roll up |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | pleḱ- | to fold, plait, weave |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pel- | to cover, to wrap; skin, hide, cloth; to fold |