Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “sludge” come from?

sludge (English) comes from Middle English slugge, from Old English *sliċ, from Proto-Germanic *sliki, from Proto-Germanic *slikiz, from Proto-Indo-European sleyǵ- — to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to...

sludge (English): Solids separated from suspension in a liquid; A...

Definitions

  1. Solids separated from suspension in a liquid; A...

Ancestry of “sludge”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishslugge—
2Old English*sliċ—
3Proto-Germanic*sliki—
4Proto-Germanic*slikiz—
5Proto-Indo-Europeansleyǵ-to glide, smooth, spread; to smear; to creep; to...

Words derived from “sludge”

  • sludgy
  • sludger
  • sludgelike
  • sludgemaker
  • sludgily
  • sludginess
  • sludgecore
Every word from Proto-Indo-European sleyǵ- →