Where does “grime” come from?
grime (Middle French) comes from Old French grime, from Frankish grīma, from Proto-Germanic grīmô, from Proto-Indo-European gʰrēy-, from Proto-Indo-European gʰer- — to rub; to stroke; to grind.
Ancestry of “grime”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Old French | grime | mask |
| 2 | Frankish | grīma | — |
| 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 |