Where does “grim” come from?
grim (Middle English) comes from Old English grīma, from Frankish grīmō, from Proto-Germanic grīmô, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēy-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.
grim (Middle English): dirt or soot covering the face
Definitions
- dirt or soot covering the face
Ancestry of “grim”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | grīma | mask, visor, helmet, spectre, apparition |
| 2 | Frankish | grīmō | mask |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | grīmô | mask; visor; helmet |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰrēy- | to smear; to paint, streak, smear |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | gʰer- | to rub; to stroke; to grind |
Words derived from “grim”