Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “slobber” come from?

slobber (English) comes from English slabber, from Middle English slaberen, from Middle Dutch slabberen, from Old Dutch slabrōn, from Proto-Germanic slabrōną, from Proto-Indo-European slap- — to be weak, limp, languid.

slobber (English): Liquid material, generally saliva, that dribbles...

Definitions

  1. Liquid material, generally saliva, that dribbles...

Ancestry of “slobber”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishslabberTo let saliva or other liquid fall from the mouth...
2Middle Englishslaberen—
3Middle Dutchslabberento lap, sup, slaver, slabber
4Old Dutchslabrōn—
5Proto-Germanicslabrōnąto scrawl, make a mess
6Proto-Indo-Europeanslap-to be weak, limp, languid

Words derived from “slobber”

  • slobbery
  • slobberer
Every word from Proto-Indo-European slap- →