Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “slime” come from?

Slime comes from Middle English slime, Old English slīm, Proto-Germanic slīmą, and Proto-Indo-European sley-, a root of uncertain original meaning.

slime (English): Soft, moist earth or clay, having an adhesive...

Definitions

  1. Soft, moist earth or clay, having an adhesive...

Ancestry of “slime”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Englishslīm—
2Proto-Germanicslīmąslime; mucus
3Proto-Indo-Europeansley-smooth; slick; sticky; slimy; to smear

Words derived from “slime”

  • slimeball
  • slimebag
  • beslime
  • slimelike
  • slimebucket
  • slimehead
  • slimicide
  • slimehole
  • antislime
  • slimewad
  • slimeway
  • slimeface
  • スライム
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sley- →