Etymograph

English

dull

Dull comes from Old English dol ‘dull, foolish, erring, heretical’, from Proto-Germanic *dulaz ‘confused, stunned’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *dʰwel-.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰwel-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*dwalaz‘stunned, mad, foolish, misled’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*dulaz‘confused, stunned’reconstructedvariant of *dwalaz
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*dolreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150dol‘dull, foolish, erring, heretical’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dull
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1590same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*dʰwel-reconstructed
  2. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*dwalaz‘stunned, mad, foolish, misled’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*dulaz‘confused, stunned’reconstructedvariant of *dwalaz
  4. Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*dolreconstructed
  5. Old Englishc. 450–1150dol‘dull, foolish, erring, heretical’
  6. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500dull
  7. Englishearliest quotation 1590same form

Earliest quotation: 1590, Edmund Spenser, (please specify the book): “O, help my weak wit and sharpen my dull…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *dʰwel-

dwelling, dweller, 2 more

through Proto-Germanic *dwalaz ‘stunned, mad, foolish, misled’

dwell, 4 more

Today it means

adj Lacking the ability to cut easily; not sharp.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *dʰwel- / dull

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