Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “wampum” come from?

Wampum comes from Massachusett wompi, a word of unknown ultimate origin referring to shell beads used as currency and ornament.

wampum (English): Small beads made from polished shells, especially...

Definitions

  1. Small beads made from polished shells, especially...

Ancestry of “wampum”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Englishwampumpeagwampum
2Wampanoagwampompeage—
3Proto-Indo-Europeanwamp-membrane , intestines, womb

Words derived from “wampum”

  • Wampumgate
  • vampam
Every word from Proto-Indo-European wamp- →