Where does “daffen” come from?
daffen (Middle English) comes from Middle English daf, from Old Norse daufr, from Proto-Germanic daubaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.
daffen (Middle English): to render foolish
Ancestry of “daffen”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Middle English | daf | — |
| 2 | Old Norse | daufr | deaf |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | daubaz | stunned; deaf |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewbʰ- | deep |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |