English
klutz
Klutz comes from Yiddish קלאָץ ‘wooden beam’, from Middle High German kloz ‘stump’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gel- ‘to ball up’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gel-‘to ball up’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*kluttazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*klott‘clod, lump, ball’reconstructed
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050kloz‘stump’
- Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350same form‘stump’
- Yiddishmodernקלאָץ‘wooden beam’literally ‘wooden beam’
- Englishearliest quotation 1979klutz
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*gel-‘to ball up’reconstructed
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*kluttazreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*klott‘clod, lump, ball’reconstructed
- Old High Germanc. 750–1050kloz‘stump’
- Middle High Germanc. 1050–1350same form‘stump’
- Yiddishmodernקלאָץ‘wooden beam’literally ‘wooden beam’
- Englishearliest quotation 1979klutz
Earliest quotation: 1979, Monty Python's Life of Brian: “Well, that's all right, then, Brian. Sit down. Have…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *gel- ‘to ball up’
children, child, cold, clean, cloud, globe, chill, gel, jelly, cluster, colt, gelatin, clout, clough, gelato, glebe, ganglion, globus, globulin, 48 more
through Proto-West Germanic *klott ‘clod, lump, ball’
Today it means
noun A clumsy or stupid person.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *gel- / klutz