Where does “vamp” come from?
Vamp comes from Middle English vaumpe, of uncertain origin and meaning.
vamp (English): The top part of a boot or shoe, above the sole...
Definitions
- The top part of a boot or shoe, above the sole...
Ancestry of “vamp”, step by step
vamp traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English vampire
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | vampire | A mythological undead creature said to feed on... |
| 2 | French | vampire | vampire |
| 3 | German | Vampir | vampire |
| 4 | Serbo-Croatian | vàmpīr | vampire |
| 5 | Proto-Slavic | ǫpyrь | vampire |
via Middle English vaumpe
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | vaumpe | — |
| 2 | Middle English | vampe | covering for the foot, perhaps a slipper or... |
| 3 | Old French | avantpié | — |
Words derived from “vamp”