Etymology Explorer › Middle Dutch

Where does “slim” come from?

slim (Middle Dutch) comes from Old Dutch slimb, from Proto-Germanic slimbaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb- — to droop; sag; hang loosely.

slim (Middle Dutch): twisted, crooked; bad, evil; bad, crooked

Definitions

  1. twisted, crooked; bad, evil; bad, crooked

Ancestry of “slim”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Old Dutchslimb—
2Proto-Germanicslimbazaslant; sloping; askew; crooked; wrong
3Proto-Indo-European(s)lemb-to droop; sag; hang loosely

Words derived from “slim”

  • slim
  • slimness
  • slimly
  • slimmish
  • ultraslim
  • superslim
  • unslim
  • slim
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb- →