sludge

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*slikiz
2. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*sliki
3. Old English · inherited from*sliċ
4. Middle English · inherited fromslugge
5. English todaysludge

From Middle English slugge, sluche (“mud, mire”), probably an alteration of Middle English sliche, slicche ("mud, slush, tar"; whence Modern English slitch), from Old English *sliċ, from Proto-West Germanic *sliki, *slīk, from Proto-Germanic *slikiz, *slīką (“mud, slush”). Cognate with Dutch slijk, German Schlick. Compare also slush.

Words from the same roots