English
gormless
Gormless comes from Proto-Germanic *gaumaz ‘heed, attention’, from Sanskrit गूहति ‘to hide’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gʰawȷ́ʰ-.
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*gʰawȷ́ʰ-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranian, derivedc. 2500–1800 BCE*gʰúȷ́ʰatireconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEगूहतिgūhati‘to hide’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gaumaz‘heed, attention’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350gaum
- Englishearliest quotation 1847gormless
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Iranianc. 2500–1800 BCE*gʰawȷ́ʰ-reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-Iranian, derivedc. 2500–1800 BCE*gʰúȷ́ʰatireconstructed
- Sanskritc. 1500–500 BCEगूहतिgūhati‘to hide’
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*gaumaz‘heed, attention’reconstructed
- Old Norsec. 800–1350gaum
- Englishearliest quotation 1847gormless
Earliest quotation: 1847, Ellis Bell pseudonym; Emily Brontë, London: Thomas Cautley Newby: “Did I ever look so stupid: so gormless as…”
Formed from gaum ‘heed, attention’ + -less ‘without’
The story
The ‘r’ found in this spelling is a vowel-lengthening device common in non-rhotic dialects of English.
Every English word from Proto-Indo-Iranian *gʰawȷ́ʰ-
Today it means
adj Lacking intelligence, sense or understanding; foolish.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-Iranian *gʰawȷ́ʰ- / gormless