dumb

dumb · adjective¹

1. Dutch · derived fromdom
2. German · derived fromdumm
3. Proto-Indo-European · inherited from*dʰewbʰ-“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”
4. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*dumbaz“dull, dumb”
5. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*dumb
6. Old English · inherited fromdumb“silent, speechless, mute, unable to speak”
7. Middle English · inherited fromdumb“silent, speechless, mute, ineffectual”
8. English todaydumb

From Middle English dumb (“silent, speechless, mute, ineffectual”), from Old English dumb (“silent, speechless, mute, unable to speak”), from Proto-West Germanic *dumb, from Proto-Germanic *dumbaz (“dull, dumb”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”). The senses of stupid, unintellectual, and pointless, which are found regularly since the 19th century only, probably developed under the influence of German dumm and Dutch dom. Just like the English word, these originally meant "lacking the power of speech", but they developed the aforementioned senses early on. Cognates Cognate with Scots dumb (“dumb, silent”), North Frisian dom, domme (“dumb, stupid”), West Frisian dom (“dumb, stupid”), Dutch dom (“dumb, stupid”), German dumm (“dumb, stupid”), Danish dum (“stupid”), Swedish dum (“stupid”), Icelandic dumbur (“dumb, mute”). See also deaf.

dumb · verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*dʰewbʰ-“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”
2. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*dumbijaną
3. Old English · inherited from*dumbian
4. Middle English · inherited fromdumben
5. English todaydumb

From Middle English dumben, from Old English *dumbian (found in the compound ādumbian (“to become mute or dumb; keep silence; hold one’s peace”)), from Proto-Germanic *dumbijaną, *dumbōną (“to be silent, become dumb”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰewbʰ- (“to whisk, smoke, darken, obscure”). Cognate with German verdummen (“to become dumb”).

dumb · adverb, adjective³

A minced oath of damn.

Words from the same roots