English
emboss
Emboss comes from Old French embocer, from Vulgar Latin *bottia ‘a bump’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd-.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰewd-root as named
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*bautaną‘to beat’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*bautan‘to beat’reconstructed
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*bottia‘a bump’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400embocer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500embossen
- Englishearliest quotation 1579emboss
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*bʰewd-root as named
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*bautaną‘to beat’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*bautan‘to beat’reconstructed
- Vulgar Latinc. 100–700 CE*bottia‘a bump’reconstructed
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400embocer
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500embossen
- Englishearliest quotation 1579emboss
Earliest quotation: 1579, Immeritô pseudonym; Edmund Spenser, The Shepheardes Calender: […]: “I wonne her with a gyrdle of gelt, /…”
Formed from em- + boss ‘bump, lump, protuberance’
Proto-Germanic *baswô ‘uncle’
Proto-West Germanic *baswō
Old Dutch *baso ‘uncle’
Middle Dutch baes ‘master of a household’
Dutch baas ‘boss’
English boss
The story
The verb is derived from Late Middle English embossen, embosen, embocen (‘to be bloated; to bulge; to cause to bulge; to ornament in relief, emboss’) [and other forms], from Old French embocer (modern French embosser), from em- (a variant of en- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’)) + boce (‘swelling’) + -er (suffix forming verbs); boce (‘swelling’) is derived from Vulgar Latin *bottia (‘a bump’), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *bautan (‘to beat’), from Proto-Germanic *bautaną (‘to beat; to bump, knock; to push’). The English word is analysable as em- (prefix meaning ‘in, into’) + boss (‘bump, lump, protuberance’).
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd-
through Proto-Germanic *bautaną ‘to beat’
through Proto-West Germanic *bautan ‘to beat’
Today it means
verb To cause (something) to stick out or swell; to extrude; also, to cause (someone or something) to be covered in swellings.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *bʰewd- / emboss