Where does “dumb” come from?
dumb (Old Saxon) comes from Proto-West Germanic dumb, from Proto-Germanic dumbaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.
Ancestry of “dumb”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Proto-West Germanic | dumb | dumb, mute |
| 2 | Proto-Germanic | dumbaz | dumb, mute, unable to speak |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewbʰ- | deep |
| 4 | Proto-Indo-European | dʰewh₂- | smoke; mist, haze |
Words derived from “dumb”