Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tumble” come from?

Tumble comes from Middle English tumblen, from Middle English tumben, from Old English tumbian, from Proto-Germanic tūmōną.

tumble (English): A fall, especially end over end; A disorderly...

Definitions

  1. A fall, especially end over end; A disorderly...

Ancestry of “tumble”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishtumblento fall over and over again, tumble
2Middle Englishtumbento fall, tumble; Alternative form of tomben
3Anglo-Normantoumberto fall
4Old Frenchtumberto fall
5Proto-Germanictūmōnąto rotate; spin; revolve

Words derived from “tumble”

  • Turner
  • tumbler
  • tumbledown
  • tumbleweed
  • tumblerful
  • Turnerian
  • Turneresque
  • tumblehome
  • tumblebug
  • tumbleth
  • atumble
  • tumblest
  • betumble
  • tumbledung
  • tumblelog
  • turnerite
  • detumble
  • tumblesome
  • Turnour
  • turnare
  • Turner
  • Turnur
  • Turnure
  • ટમલર
Every word from Proto-Germanic tūmōną →