Where does “schlimm” come from?

schlimm (Pennsylvania German) comes from Middle High German slimp, from Old High German slimb, from Proto-West Germanic *slimb, from Proto-Germanic slimbaz, from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb- — to droop; sag; hang loosely.

schlimm (Pennsylvania German): bad; sad; serious, grave

Definitions

  1. bad; sad; serious, grave

Ancestry of “schlimm”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle High Germanslimpslanting, awry
2Old High Germanslimb—
3Proto-West Germanic*slimb—
4Proto-Germanicslimbazaslant; sloping; askew; crooked; wrong
5Proto-Indo-European(s)lemb-to droop; sag; hang loosely
Every word from Proto-Indo-European (s)lemb- →Every word from Proto-Germanic slimbaz →Every word from Proto-West Germanic *slimb →