Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “whopping” come from?

Whopping derives from the Middle English verb whappen, itself from Middle English wappen, with origins tracing through a chain of words meaning to strike or hit forcefully.

whopping (English): Exceptionally great or large; Exceedingly,...

Definitions

  1. Exceptionally great or large; Exceedingly,...

Ancestry of “whopping”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishwhopTo throw or move quickly, usually with an...
2Middle Englishwhappen—
3Middle Englishwappento strike; fling; shoot; stun

Words derived from “whopping”

  • whoppingly
Every word from Middle English wappen →