Etymograph

English

grimace

Grimace comes from Old French grimace, from Proto-Germanic *grīmô ‘mask, helmet’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- ‘to rub, stroke’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰer-‘to rub, stroke’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰrēy-‘to paint, streak, smear’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*grīmô‘mask, helmet’reconstructed
  4. Frankishc. 250–700*grīmareconstructed
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400grimace
  6. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1789same form

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰer-‘to rub, stroke’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*gʰrēy-‘to paint, streak, smear’reconstructed
  3. Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*grīmô‘mask, helmet’reconstructed
  4. Frankishc. 250–700*grīmareconstructed
  5. Old Frenchc. 842–1400grimace
  6. Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600same form
  7. Frenchc. 1600–presentsame form
  8. Englishearliest quotation 1789same form

Earliest quotation: 1789, John Moore, Zeluco: “Zeluco considered all this as mere affectation and grimace,…”

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- ‘to rub, stroke’

grand, greedy, grill, charismatic, yearn, growl, grit, yar, chromatic, ochre, grout, grisly, exhort, grist, 17 more

through Proto-Germanic *grīmô ‘mask, helmet’

grime

Today it means

noun A contorted facial expression, often expressing contempt or pain.

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

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gʰer- / grimace

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