slur

The story

1. Proto-Germanic · derived from*slūm-“loose, slack, flabby”
2. Middle English · inherited fromsloor“thin or fluid mud”
3. English todayslur

From Middle English sloor (“thin or fluid mud”). The ultimate origin is uncertain, but perhaps related to a group of words derived from Proto-Germanic *slūm- (“loose, slack, flabby”), such as slumber. Cognate with Middle Low German sluren (“to trail in mud”). Also related to dialectal Norwegian sløra (“to be careless, to scamp, dawdle”), Danish sløre (“to wobble, be loose”) (especially for wheels); compare Old Norse slóðra (“to drag oneself along”). * (derogatory term): Influenced by various compounds of sense 1 such as racial slur, ethnic slur, etc.

Words from the same roots