English

gamble

Gamble comes from Old English gamenian ‘to joke’, from Proto-West Germanic *gamanōn ‘to play’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *gamaną ‘fun, amusement, game’.

Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gamaną‘fun, amusement, game’reconstructed
Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gamanōną‘to delight, enjoy, have fun’reconstructed
Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gamanōn‘to play’reconstructed
Old Englishc. 450–1150gamenianas gæmnian‘to joke’
Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gamenen
Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500*gamlenreconstructed
Englishtodaygamble

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gamaną‘fun, amusement, game’reconstructed
Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gamanōną‘to delight, enjoy, have fun’reconstructed
Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*gamanōn‘to play’reconstructed
Old Englishc. 450–1150gamenianas gæmnian‘to joke’
Middle Englishc. 1150–1500gamenen
Middle English, derivedc. 1150–1500*gamlenreconstructed
Englishtodaygamble

Formed from game + -le

Proto-Germanic *gamaną ‘amusement, pleasure’

Proto-West Germanic *gaman ‘pleasure, fun, amusement’

Old English gamen ‘sport, game, pastime’

Middle English game

English game

Linked words

through Proto-Germanic *gamaną ‘fun, amusement, game’

game, backgammon, 2 more

through Middle English gamenen

Today it means

noun A bet or wager.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *gamaną / gamble

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