Etymology Explorer › Proto-West Germanic

Where does “dumb” come from?

dumb (Proto-West Germanic) comes from Proto-Germanic dumbaz, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewbʰ-, from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- — smoke; mist, haze.

dumb (Proto-West Germanic): dumb, mute

Definitions

  1. dumb, mute

Ancestry of “dumb”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Proto-Germanicdumbazdumb, mute, unable to speak
2Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewbʰ-deep
3Proto-Indo-Europeandʰewh₂-smoke; mist, haze

Words derived from “dumb”

  • dumb
  • dummy
  • dumbly
  • dumbbell
  • dumbness
  • dumbstruck
  • dumbass
  • dumbwaiter
  • dumbshit
  • dumbo
  • dumbhead
  • dumbfuck
  • dummkopf
  • dym
  • dumbledore
  • dumble
  • dumbcane
  • dumbling
  • dumbhood
  • dumbphone
  • Dumbfuckistan
  • dumble-dor
  • dumbledor
  • dumbassery
Every word from Proto-Indo-European dʰewh₂- →