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 Englishslīmslime
2Proto-Germanicslīmąslime; mucus
3Proto-Indo-Europeansley-smooth; slick; sticky; slimy; to smear

Words derived from “slime

Every word from Proto-Indo-European sley-