Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “stumbling” come from?

Stumbling comes from English stumble, which derives from Proto-Germanic stam-, a root of uncertain ultimate origin whose earliest sense involved moving unsteadily.

stumbling (English): present participle of stumble; The motion of one...

Definitions

  1. present participle of stumble; The motion of one...

Ancestry of “stumbling”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishstumbleA fall, trip or substantial misstep; An error or...
2Proto-Germanicstam-to trip up; to stammer, stutter

Words derived from “stumbling”

  • stumblingblock
  • stumblingly
Every word from Proto-Germanic stam- →