Where does “limbo” come from?
limbo (Portuguese) comes from English limbo, from Latin limbus, from Proto-Indo-European (s)lembʰ- — to hang limply; to hang loosely, hang limply.
limbo (Portuguese): limbo; blade
Definitions
- limbo; blade
Ancestry of “limbo”, step by step
limbo traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English limbo
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | limbo | The place where innocent souls exist temporarily... |
| 2 | Latin | limbus | A border, edge; hem, fringe, tassel |
| 3 | Proto-Indo-European | (s)lembʰ- | to hang limply; to hang loosely, hang limply |
via Ecclesiastical Latin limbus
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecclesiastical Latin | limbus | — |