Where does “dim” come from?

dim (Indonesian) comes from English dimmer, from English -er, from Middle English -er, from Old French -er, from Latin -āre, from Proto-Italic -āō, from Proto-Indo-European -eh₂yéti, from Proto-Indo-European -yéti — he, she.

dim (Indonesian): thumb; inch; high-beam headlamp on a road vehicle

Definitions

  1. thumb; inch; high-beam headlamp on a road vehicle

Ancestry of “dim”, step by step

dim traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English dimmer

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishdimmerA rheostat that is used to vary the intensity of...
2English-erA person or thing that does an action indicated...
3Middle English-eragentive suffix; agent noun suffix
4Old French-erAlternative form of -ier, verbal suffix;...
5Latin-ārefirst conjugation
6Proto-Italic-āōForms primarily denominative verbs
7Proto-Indo-European-eh₂yétiCreates iterative/ frequentative/ intensive...
8Proto-Indo-European-yétiCreates intransitive, often deponent,...
9Proto-Indo-Europeanyé-
10Chichewaiyehe, she

via Dutch duim

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Dutchduimthumb, the inner-most finger; inch; pintle
2Middle Dutchdume
3Old Dutchthūmo
4Proto-West Germanicþūmōthumb
5Proto-Germanicþūmôthumb
6Proto-Indo-Europeantūm-to grow; to swell, to increase; to swell, be...
7Proto-Indo-Europeantewh₂-to swell; to crowd; to be strong
Every word from Chichewa iyeEvery word from English -erEvery word from Proto-Indo-European -yéti