Where does “unplumb” come from?
unplumb (English) comes from English plumb, from Old French plombe, from Latin plumba, from Danish plombe, from French plomb, from Middle French plom, from Old French plom, from Latin plumbum.
unplumb (English): To remove the lead from
Definitions
- To remove the lead from
Ancestry of “unplumb”, step by step
unplumb traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English plumb
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | plumb | Truly vertical, as indicated by a plumb line;... |
| 2 | Old French | plombe | — |
| 3 | Latin | plumba | second-person singular present active imperative... |
| 4 | Danish | plombe | lead seal; filling |
| 5 | French | plomb | lead; fuse; sinker |
| 6 | Middle French | plom | lead |
| 7 | Old French | plom | — |
| 8 | Latin | plumbum | lead; ball of lead; pipe of lead |
| 9 | Ancient Greek | μόλυβδος | lead; graphite |
| 10 | Proto-Indo-European | morkʷ-iyo- | — |
via English un
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | un | One |