Where does “limp” come from?
limp (Middle English) comes from Old English lemp, from Proto-West Germanic *limpan, from Proto-Germanic limpaną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb- — to droop; sag; hang loosely.
Ancestry of “limp”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old English | lemp | — |
| 2 | Proto-West Germanic | *limpan | — |
| 3 | Proto-Germanic | limpaną | to glide; to go; to suit, fit |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)lemb- | to droop; sag; hang loosely |