English
shame
Shame comes from Middle English schame ‘modesty, reserve, timidity’, from Old English sċamu ‘shame, embarrassment’, and ultimately from Proto-Germanic *skamō.
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skamōreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skamureconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċamu‘shame’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500schame‘modesty’
- Englishearliest quotation 1564shame
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skamōreconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skamureconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċamu‘shame’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500schame‘modesty’
- Englishearliest quotation 1564shame
Earliest quotation: 1564, Erasmus, The Saiynges of Aristippus: “When he had saied no: what (ſaid Ariſtippus) is…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeh₃- ‘dark(ness)’
scene, scenario, shadow, obscure, squirrel, scenic, shade, scotia, hoar, skene, 31 more
Another origin of shame
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*(s)ḱeh₃-‘dark(ness)’uncertain
- Proto-Germanicc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skamōreconstructed
- Proto-Germanic, derivedc. 500 BCE–200 CE*skamāną‘to be ashamed’reconstructed
- Proto-West Germanicc. 200–500 CE*skamēn‘to be ashamed’reconstructed
- Old Englishc. 450–1150sċamian‘to be ashamed or embarrassed’
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500schamen‘to be ashamed of or feel regretful about oneself’
- Englishtodayshame
Today it means
noun An uncomfortable or painful feeling due to recognition or consciousness of one's own impropriety or dishonor, or something being exposed that should have been kept private.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Germanic *skamō / shame